After Story: Compassion
by Magnus Prime
Summary: An 'After' story based on Ryou's route from the VN/Anime 'Clannad'. The ex-delinquent and the reforming shy girl have much to overcome to create a future together.
1. A Day in the Life

**Ryou After Story: Compassion  
** _A Tomoya/Ryou fanfiction_ **  
**

 **Chapter One: A Day in the Life**

I groaned as I rolled over and slapped my alarm. Waking up in the morning was still difficult, even after almost a month, but at least I was getting better at it.

I went through my usual – well, my new usual routine of splashing water on my face, getting dressed and, finally, eating something resembling breakfast. I groggily made a mental note to do something about my breakfast options as I grabbed my bag and headed to the front door.

I opened my front door to a sight that suddenly brightened my day and brought a sleepy smile to my face. "Heeeyyyy!"

Fujibayashi Ryou stood on my front porch with her hand extended, presumably to knock on the door. "Oh!" she chirped. "Y-You surprised me! Good morning, T-Tomoya-kun."

"G'morning," I replied, quickly rubbing at my eyes. "You here to walk to school with me?" Walking to school together had become part of our routine, but so had my question.

She didn't seem to mind, though. "I-If it's okay," she replied shyly.

My response was to take her hand and kiss the back of it. "That'd be great."

She blushed furiously as we linked fingers and quietly made our way to school.

As had become our custom, we held hands all the way to school, through the gates, up the stairs, and all the way to our classroom. We released our grip when we came to her desk, where she would drop off her things, then follow me to my desk, where she would settle into Sunohara's desk until the bell rang. It actually worked out well, since the blonde idiot rarely showed up to school until lunch, anyway.

"Are you okay?" she asked as we waited for the first bell. "Y-You look really tired this morning."

"I'm okay," I said as I rubbed at my face. "Just had a hard time getting to sleep last night." I heard rustling and when I looked over she was shuffling her deck of tarot cards; where she had been keeping them I had no idea. She started laying them out on the desk before her in one of her typical patterns; I could never remember the names of the arrangements no matter how many times she told me, but I at least recognized it as a pattern. "What'cha working on, there?"

"Um…" She studied the cards intently, and I smiled at the look of concentration on her face; she really was a beautiful girl, with how blue her eyes were and the innocence contained within, her soft skin, her small pouting lips, the way her hair framed her face, tickling her cheeks…she was perfect.

I couldn't help myself; I reached out to touch that delicate face, and… "Oh!" she chirped.

"Wh-What is it?" I asked, quickly and self-consciously withdrawing my hand.

She gestured to the arrangement. "I just did a fortune for the next few weeks for you, and…" she looked over at me with an awkward smile. "You'll have some challenges over the next few weeks, but you'll become stronger because of them."

"Getting stronger is good," I said as I examined the arrangement myself; I couldn't make heads or tails of it, of course. "Does it say what kind of challenges?"

"Not exactly," she admitted, then pointed to one card in particular. "But it seems that your growth with be spiritual." Her eyes widened and she pressed her hands together. "Maybe you're supposed to become a priest? How exciting!"

I snorted. "A priest? Me? Seriously, could you see me in that ridiculous getup?"

"NO WAY!" We both jumped at the sound of Kyou's voice barging into our conversation. "There's no way you'd ever be a priest!"

"Good morning, Cupid," I greeted. "Nice to see you in good spirits…so to speak."

Ryou giggled at my unintended pun. "Good morning, Onee-chan; I'm glad you made it on time."

"Yeah," I chimed in. "Did you come to school on two legs or two wheels this time?"

Kyou made a show of ignoring me as she addressed her sister. "Of course I made it on time! What kind of class rep would I be if I showed up late?"

I coughed to cover my laughter.

"Tomoya-kun, are you okay?" Ryou asked with worry on her face.

"I'm fine," I replied, hoping she wouldn't ask a follow-up question; My recent honesty streak would really get me in trouble with the older twin. "Sorry about that."

I listened as the twins made small talk until the bell rang for school. Kyou hurried back to her class while my girlfriend hurried back to her seat after giving me a peck on the cheek.

I spent the rest of the morning trying to focus more on the class than on Ryou's repeated glances.

* * *

The lunch bell rang, and I rose from my seat and headed over to meet up with Ryou. "So, what do you want to do for lunch?"

She blushed lightly as her eyes darted back and forth. "I-If it's okay…I'd like us to eat in the courtyard today."

My eyebrows climbed nearly to my hairline. "Seriously? That's pretty bold, cutie. Good job," I said as I laid my hand on her head.

"Th-Thank you," she said as the expected blush started. "Since everybody knows about us, I-I-I figured that it would be okay."

"You're not wrong," I admitted as we left the classroom. "So, what do you want from the cafeteria?"

She gave me a happy smile and a light blush. "A-Anything would be fine."

"You sure? I don't mind getting something expensive, you know."

The rush of students faded from view as she stepped closer and looked into my eyes. "As long as I'm eating with you, any food would taste wonderful."

I felt my face heat up and I swallowed hard. "Th-Thanks. Wh-Why don't you go to our usual spot, and I'll b-be along in a few minutes." Apparently her stutter had transferred to me.

"Okay," she said quietly before turning and heading down the hall toward the front of the school.

I turned to head to the cafeteria and nearly stumbled, and when I reached out to the nearby wall to steady myself I noticed my hand was trembling; Man, those deep blue eyes of hers… "Deep breaths, Okazaki."

* * *

My hands were still trembling slightly as I carried our lunches to the courtyard, where I saw Ryou waiting on the short stone wall with her thermos next to her. It had become a tradition for us to eat in the very place where we had eaten lunch together the first time. I would never forget April 24th for as long as I lived, I was sure.

Her smile was contagious as I approached. "Here's your pork cutlet sandwich," I said as I handed the meal to her.

"Pork Cut – Tomoya-kun! You didn't have to spend so much on me!" she protested.

"I wanted to," I replied simply and with a smile.

"Well, o-okay…then, what did you get?" she asked with noticeable eagerness.

I couldn't help cut chuckle at her curiosity; it was just a sandwich, after all. "I got the same; thought you might like it if we ate the same thing together."

She bit her lip as her eyes moistened. "H-How romantic," she said, putting a hand to her chest. "Eating the same thing together at the place where we first ate together..."

"R-Right." I never would understand how girls liked this kind of thing, but if it made her happy… "W-Well, then…shall we eat?"

We both eagerly unwrapped our sandwiches and dug in. Well, I dug in; being a girl, Ryou ate hers with less gusto and more delicacy. I'd never admit it to anyone, but I enjoyed watching her eat. She was so delicate and ladylike in everything, so it was nice to see real femininity…well, at least as much as I understood it.

As usual, I finished long before she did. "Man, that was good!" I exclaimed as I carefully leaned back. I heard a giggle and looked to see Ryou with a mouth full of sandwich. "Hey, are you trying to imitate me?"

She shook her head and waved a hand as she tried to swallow her bite. "I just took too big a bite, that's all," she explained, coughing a little. "I'm okay."

I took the thermos and poured some of its contents into the cup and offered it to her. "Here; wash it down with this."

"Tomoya-kun!" she protested. "That tea is for you!"

"My tea, huh?' I mused, then pushed the cup toward her again. "Well, then; Will you drink some of my tea, please? I don't want you to choke on your sandwich."

She pouted, but relented. "You're so good to me, Tomoya-kun."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled softly at her as she drank 'my' tea. "My pleasure, cutie."


	2. Future Plans

**Chapter Two: Future Plans**

The last bell rang, ending the day. Most of the students bolted to their feet, grabbing their stuff and running out the door to the various clubs; others, like me, took a more leisurely pace. As a member of the Go Home Club, I took my duties very seriously.

Except when it came to Ryou; I shook my head with a smile at the pile of girls that had somehow materialized around her right after the bell rang. Ever since we had started dating, requests for Ryou's 'Love Fortunes' had increased dramatically. I watched as she talked excitedly with an equally-excited first-year about who-knows-what, and I enjoyed the light in my girlfriend's eyes as she pointed to the cards, likely explaining their significance. I loved seeing her 'in her element', using her cards to help other people with their lives. I still wasn't sure what to think of her fortunetelling in general but, in hindsight, some parts of her fortunes about me had been correct, so I continued to withhold judgment.

She finally finished up wither her last 'client', a second-year with dark hair and an impressive…figure, and sighed heavily as she pushed her chair away from her desk and looked over to find me leaning against the wall. "I-I-I'm sorry," she said tiredly. "I j-j-just can't turn them away."

My smile turned lopsided. "You could always start charging for your services; that would thin the crowd," I suggested half-jokingly. "They are taking your time, after all."

Her face fell into disbelief. "I-I couldn't do that! I like telling people their fortunes: they look so happy afterward, and…" she looked at the floor. "I-I-I couldn't do that."

"All right, cutie," I said, walking up to her to rest a hand on her head. "I was only kidding, anyway."

"I-I-I just don't like making you wait," she said, wringing her hands.

"You're not 'making me' do anything," I countered. "I told you; I don't mind waiting. Besides, I honestly like watching you do your fortune-telling thing."

She looked up at me with hopeful eyes. "R-Really?"

"Yeah. R-Really," I said, copying her stutter as I gently rubbed her head. Then I lowered my hand to hold it out to her. "Ready to go, cutie?"

She blushed as she linked her fingers with mine. "C-Could we stop by the bathroom on the way out? The girls kept me…w-well, they kept me busy."

I chuckled softly at her awkward expression. "No problem."

* * *

"Hey, lovebirds!" Ryou and I turned to see Kyou running to catch up with us. "Leaving me behind in more ways than one?"

"O-Onee-chan!" Ryou cried, covering her reddened face. "P-P-Please don't say things like th-that!"

The older twin came to a stop in front of us. "Eh? I was just teasing a little; unless…" She gave us a catty smile. "Have you gone that far already? That's amazing, Ryou!" she finished, clapping her hands down on my girl's shoulders.

"O-ONEE-CHAN!" Ryou cried again. "We haven't gone that far yet!"

'Yet'…? I wasn't exactly sure what they were talking about, but…

"Yet?" Kyou said, echoing my unspoken thought. "Whoa…that's amazing, Ryou! You really plan ahead, don't you?"

"All right, that's enough," I declared, putting myself between them. "She may be your sister, but she's also my girlfriend, so it's my job to step in when she's in trouble."

"Aw, calm down Tomoya," Kyou said, clapping my shoulder this time. "You know I'm just teasing."

"Yeah, but I also know that Ryou is easily embarrassed; so do you, for that matter," I countered. "Just…stop it for now. Please."

Kyou blinked at me in surprise. "That's…really impressive, Tomoya; you stood up for your girl without getting angry or defensive." She clapped my shoulder again, more gently this time. "Good job."

"Thank you," I said. "So…?"

"I'll leave her alone, at least until we get home," she said with a raised hand and a sly grin. "After that, all bets are off."

"Fair enough," I said. "I know I can't tell you what to do in your own home." I turned to my girlfriend with a regretful smile. "Sorry, cutie."

"Th-That's okay," she replied with her trademark blush. "Th-Th-Thank you for standing up for me, even if it was against Onee-chan."

"My pleasure. I figure if I can stand up to Kyou, standing up to anybody won't be a problem."

"Hey!" the older twin protested.

We started on our way home, Ryou and I hand-in-hand, with Kyou on her sister's other side. Wanting to make some kind of conversation I asked, "So Kyou; how are things going with your kindergarten teacher stuff?"

"'Kindergarten teacher stuff'," she snorted. "It's going fine, I guess; I sent off the paperwork to the school last week, so I've started the process, at least." She shook her head. "'Kindergarten teacher stuff'…"

"All right, Kyou," I grumbled. "I didn't know what to call it, so I just did my best, okay? What do you call it, then?"

To my surprise, Ryou jumped in. "She calls it 'Kindergarten teacher stuff', too."

"R-Ryou!" Kyou exclaimed, then looked to me with a sheepish expression. "It's different when I say it, got it?"

"No, it's not," I countered. "Unless you want to beat up your dear sister's boyfriend?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it without a word as Ryou giggled.

Not wanting to embarrass the older twin any more I asked, "And how's your nursing training going? I don't get to see you on the weekends – which sucks – and we haven't talked about it much, anyway."

"That's true," Ryou admitted. "Well, it's kind of hard to explain, but I can say that it's going well; I've learned so much and my tutors are really nice."

"Any of them cute guys?" Kyou asked with a wink.

As expected, my girl's face reddened. "I-I-I really don't know," she said. "I do have male trainers, but I haven't really paid attention to what they look like. I mean, I have Tomoya-kun; why would I even want to look?"

Crap; she touched my heart, and I stopped our journey as I drew Ryou into my arms. "Thanks, cutie," I said with a tight voice. "I can't tell you how much that means to me."

"I'll admit that Tomoya's quite a catch," Kyou said as Ryou and I separated and we started walking again. "So, what are your plans for after graduation?"

"Me?"I scratched my head. "Honestly, I have been looking into possibilities now that I'm not a delinquent any more, but…" I lightly gnawed on my lower lip. "…I don't know what I can do. I mean, before my shoulder was broken I had a pretty good future, so…" I shrugged with my free hand. "I'll have to see what else I can do. If it comes down to it, I could work in a recycling shop or as an electrician, but…" I smiled bashfully at Ryou. "…my girl deserves better than that."

"T-Tomoya-k-kun…" Ryou breathed.

"W-Wow, Tomoya," Kyou also breathed, her eyes wide. "Th-That's…impressive."

"Anyway," I continued, trying to hide my embarrassment, "I'll just have to find something else I'm good at. Or just make myself good at something, I guess."

"I believe in you," Ryou said as she gave my arm a squeeze.

"Thanks, cutie." With her faith in me, I really believed that I could do anything.

* * *

"D-Do you want to come inside?" Ryou asked as we approached the Fujibayashi home. "We could drink tea together."

I smiled as my heart warmed at my girl's thoughtfulness. "That'd be great, yeah."

We made our way inside, where I was directed to sit at the table in their backyard. The twins' dad was a hospital administrator, which meant he made good money. In fact, I was concerned when Ryou introduced me to him, that he would reject me immediately since my family wasn't anywhere near as rich. It turned out that I had nothing to worry about, as Fujibayashi Ryu had warmly welcomed me. "I have taught my daughters to see the value in everyone," he had said, "so she must see value in you, even if you don't."

I had been humbled by his words, and was still humbled by them as I watched the girls come out with a tray of tea and some kind of cookies or biscuits. "Here you go, Tomoya-kun," Ryou said as she handed me a cup of tea.

"Thanks." I leaned back in my chair to suddenly find a cookie shoved in my face. "What the-"

"Come on, Tomoya; eat up!" Kyou chirped as she tried to shove the cookie in my mouth. "I made them myself, so they're really good!"

"I'm sure they are, Kyou, but I-OMPH!"

Kyou had found her opening – or my opening, so to speak – and shoved the cookie in. "Well? What do you think? Is it good?"

The truth was, Kyou's cooking was second-to-none in my book; that was why Ryou had been taking cooking lesson from her. "Yeff!" I blurted before managing to swallow the cookie. "The delivery method could use some work, but that was really good." I quickly grabbed another cookie and started to eat it before Kyou could attack me with another one. "I'd ask about the ingredients, but I probably wouldn't understand."

Kyou simply smiled as she took another cookie and waved it before me.

"Onee-chan, what are you doing?" Ryou's concerned voice could be heard.

"Don't worry, Ryou," Kyou crooned as she looked at me with an unreadable expression. "I'm not going to steal him away just by feeding him a cookie or two."

I took a drink of my tea and, when I brought the cup back down, two cookies hovered before me. "T-Tomoya-kun; please let me feed you," Ryou requested.

As I looked between Kyou's sly expression and Ryou's pleading one, I knew that I would be going home with a stomachache.


	3. Dramatic Assistance

**Chapter Three: Dramatic Assistance**

I wasn't feeling very hungry the next morning, so I skipped breakfast and headed out the door to meet with Ryou.

"I-I-I'm sorry about last night," Ryou said as a greeting. "I-I shouldn't have forced you to eat all those cookies."

"You didn't force me," I replied. "If anyone should be sorry, it should be Kyou; she tried to do your job, after all," I finished with a wink.

"T-Tomoya-kun…" she giggled.

On the way to school we met up with a surprise in the form of: "Okazaki-san!" Ryou and I looked to see Furukawa running toward us from the direction of her home, and my mind flashed back to when she invited me to stay with her family. In hindsight, I was glad that I decided not to for two reasons: One, I wouldn't have had the chance to get to know Ryou and Two, I didn't think I would've been able to handle all of her parents' antics.

Since my free hand was carrying my bag, I lifted our joined hands in greeting. "'Morning, Furukawa."

For some reason, her pace slowed and her smile faded. "Wh-Who's your friend?"

We came to a stop so Ryou could release my hand and bow politely. "P-Pleased to meet you. My name is F-Fujibayashi Ryou. I'm the class representative for Class 3-D, and Tomoya-kun's girlfriend."

Furukawa's expression appeared anxious as she looked back and forth between us before resolving into a smile. "Well, c-congratulations to you two!"

"Thanks," I replied as I reclaimed my girl's hand. "Did you need something from us, or did you just want to walk to school together?"

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about the Theater Club…"

"Oh, crap…" I had forgotten all about that. "I'm sorry, Furukawa, I forgot. Here, come on." As we continued on our way I looked toward Ryou. "I had forgotten, but I promised that I'd help her find members for the Theater Club."

"I-I see…" I watched as she took a deep breath. "W-Well, it's important to keep your promises…"

"I'm sorry, cutie…is there any way we can make this work?"

"D-Don't worry about it, Okazaki-san," Furukawa interrupted. "I'm the club president, so I should be trying my best to recruit."

"F-Furukawa-san? I-If Tomoya-kun promised to h-help you, th-then he needs to help you," Ryou said.

"Besides, what kind of man would I be if I didn't keep my promises?" I asked, as I gave my girlfriend's hand a squeeze. "Ryou and I'll make it work."

"May-Maybe I could help you, too?" Ryou offered.

A look of anxiety flashed across Furukawa's face again; if I hadn't been watching her face I would have missed it. "That…That would be wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Th-Thank you very much!"

"Y-You're welcome," Ryou replied, then looked to me. "Maybe we could talk about it during lunch?"

I mulled it over. "I'm fine with it if you are," I said. "We can work out the details and get started, however late we may be."

Furukawa jogged a short distance ahead of us and turned to face us, bringing us to a halt. "I'll see you at lunch, then!" With that she turned again and ran ahead of us to school.

"What a sweet girl," Ryou observed as we watched her retreating form.

"Yeah…" I replied somewhat absently; something wasn't right…

* * *

"I've got a few first-years interested, but it's not enough," Furukawa explained as she sat next to my girl on the stone wall; I stood next to them, munching on my anpan.

"That's too bad," Ryou said softly. "Is that why you asked Tomoya-kun to help?"

"She asked me long before that," I said, "when she was…" I trailed off, realizing that Furukawa might not want me blabbing her life story.

Furukawa smiled, however. "I was trying to find a reason to go to school. I was really disheartened until…" She ducked her head meekly. "…until Okazaki-san gave me a push."

"A push?" Ryou asked.

"He told me that I just had to find something new to enjoy, that I couldn't do anything about the past, but that I could learn to enjoy the present and future," she finished with a bright smile.

I smiled as well as I went back to that time at the bottom of the hill. "You seemed pretty depressed, and I didn't want you to end up like me since you're such a nice girl."

Furukawa pressed her hands against her cheeks, apparently forgetting that she still had a sandwich in one of them; mashed sandwich on her face looked kinda funny. "Okazaki-san! I-I'm not a nice girl!"

"That's more reflex than anything," I countered, pointing at her. "You are a nice girl; you're just a little too shy for other people to be able to appreciate it. If I didn't think you were nice, I sure as hell wouldn't have called you cute-" Oh, crap.

Sure enough, Ryou turned wide eyes on me. "T-T-Tomoya-kun…? You called another girl 'cute'?"

"Y-Yeah, I did!" I confessed. "But that was before we started dating, I swear!"

"A-A-Are you sure?" Ryou asked, now wringing her hands. "I d-d-don't want to get in your way if-"

"F-Fujibayashi-san? Wh-When did you and Okazaki-san start dating?"

"A-A-April t-t-t-twenty-sixth," Ryou managed to answer, and I made a mental note to write that date down next to our first lunch date.

"Th-Then it's okay!" Furukawa exclaimed. "H-He called me 'cute' on April 17th, so that was before you started dating!"

"R-Really?" Ryou asked with hopeful eyes.

I opened my mouth, but stopped when it hit me: why would Furukawa remember something like that?

"Yes, it was over a week before you two started dating, so he didn't cheat on you!" My brown-haired friend was on her feet, gesturing so vigorously that her 'antennae' waved. "Okazaki-san is so amazing and wonderful that he'd never ch-cheat on you!"

I was starting to feel really uncomfortable.

"You're right!" Ryou cried, then whirled on me. "I'm so sorry for doubting you, Tomoya-kun!"

Huh? "But you never said anything like-"

"Furukawa-san believes in you, so I should too!" I had never seen Ryou this passionate outside of fortune-telling. "I'm such a terrible girlfriend, but I'll do better from now on!"

"Ryou, stop!" I almost yelled as I grabbed her hands. "You're not a bad girlfriend, or whatever you said! It's understandable that you would get worried if you heard about me saying stuff like that to other girls." I paused to let that sink in before I continued. "If I need to answer for my past behavior to help make you feel better, then I'll do that; I understand. Just…" I smiled awkwardly. "…just be…gentle with me, okay?"

"Okay, Tomoya-kun," she giggled, blinking away a few tears.

"You're so lucky," Furukawa breathed. "I wish…"

I snapped out of the spell cast by Ryou's eyes. "Huh? Oh, Furukawa! What…" I shook my head. "What do you wish?"

"Eh?" My friend's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "I wish…um…wish…that…that more people would join the Theater Club…yeah!" she finished, clapping her hands.

"Oh, let me help you!" exclaimed Ryou. "Onee-chan has a lot of friends, and I can talk to the girls who come for my fortune-telling!"

"You'd really do that for me?" Furukawa asked, with tears starting to form. "Thank you so much! And you and your sister could join!"

"I-I'm sorry…" Ryou said sadly. "Onee-chan and I are both class reps, so…"

"They can help you get new members, and I'll do a better job of keeping my promise," I…well, promised. "I didn't mean to blow you off."

"Don't worry about it," Furukawa said, shaking her head. "You're a good man, Okazaki-san. You talked to someone like me and really helped me when I needed it. Thank you for everything."

"N-No problem," I said awkwardly as the warning bell signaled the end of lunch. "We…We'd better get back to class," I said as I helped my girl down from the wall.

"O-Oh, right!" Furukawa squeaked. "W-Well, I-I'll go on ahead, then; y-you probably want some t-time with each other, right?"

"That'd be…nice, yeah," I replied carefully.

"Furukawa-san, are you all right?" Ryou asked with concern in her voice.

"Me?" she squeaked again. "I-I'm fine. Thanks for all your help!" And with that, the turned and ran ahead of us toward the nearest entrance.

"She is such a sweet girl!" Ryou exclaimed; then, she giggled. "And you're right; she is cute."

"Hoo boy…" I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.

We held hands and made small talk as we walked back to class…but in the back of my mind, it still felt like something wasn't right.


	4. Festive Assistance

**Chapter Four: Festive Assistance**

I suppressed a yawn as I opened the door to meet up with Ryou. "Good mor…oh, hey."

To my surprise, Sakagami Tomoyo stood on my front porch. "You have a beautiful girl coming to greet you in the morning, and all you can say is 'Oh, hey'?" she complained with a glare, placing her fists on her hips.

I flinched as I remembered meeting up with her in the hallway at school after performing one of Miyazawa's 'love spells'. "S-Sorry, Sakagami; I didn't mean anything bad by that. I just wasn't expecting to see you here, that's all." I managed a sleepy smile. "It is good to see you, really."

"Th-Thank you," she said as she blushed lightly, her arms lowering to her sides. "L-Listen, I need your help with something. Let's go; I'll tell you about it on the way," she said as she turned to head toward the school.

"Hold on a minute," I said. "Let's wait 'til my girlfriend gets here."

"Girlfriend?" She turned back to me with a surprised expression. "Wh-Where'd you get one of those?"

"My class," I replied, surprised by the odd phrasing of her question. "She's my class rep, Fujibayashi Ryou."

"I-I see," she said as she walked back to me. "We can wait, then."

We made small talk, mainly about her election to the Student Council, until Ryou rounded the nearby corner and rushed up to us. "Tomoya-kun!" she puffed. "I'm so sorry; Onee-chan refused to wake up, and-" she stopped as she saw Sakagami with me. "Who's she?"

"She's the Student Council president, Sakagami-san." I looked between the two of them. "You mean you've never met?"

"Not up close," Ryou replied, still catching her breath. "Why is she here? …N-Not that you don't have any right to be here!" she quickly amended, waving her hands.

"No, I get it," Sakagami said smoothly. "You're Okazaki's girlfriend, right?"

"Y-Yes, I am!" she replied, bowing. "I'm Fujibayashi Ryou; I'm in Class 3-D."

"And the class rep," I added.

"Yeah, you told me that already," Sakagami remarked. "Nice to meet you, too. Listen, could I borrow your b-boyfriend for a while? I need help setting up for the Summer Festival."

"The Summer Festival? Wh-What's the matter?" After the Student Council president told her the situation she sighed. "That's a shame. But…Tomoya-kun?" Ryou asked cautiously. "How do you know Sakagami-san?"

"Other than her being the student body president?" I scratched my cheek as the three of us started to walk. "It's kind of a long story, but I guess the short version would be: After she thrashed those two industrial school delinquents, Sunohara insisted on dragging me along to watch him pick fights with her, which she would easily win. After that, she ran into some problems which I helped her with."

"And looked really cool doing it," Sakagami added…with a blush? "I know you were their upperclassman, but you still looked cool rescuing me from them."

"It wasn't a rescue," I groaned, trying to cover my face with the hand holding my bag. "Jeez, you're overstating it."

"Anyway, I hear that you've suddenly become reliable," she announced as she flipped her hair, the redness fading from her cheeks.

"That's a bald-faced lie," I retorted, half-jokingly. "Who told you that?"

"A third-year. Furu-something. The president of the Theater Club."

"Furukawa-san?" Ryou offered.

"Yeah, that's the one. She came to talk with me about the Theater Club, and when she heard about my problem, she suggested that I talk to you. Listen, I…don't mean to interrupt your time together," Sakagami said as she briefly studied my girlfriend, "but I was hoping you could help me with the festival setup."

"I dunno…what do you think, cutie?" I asked, looking over at my girl.

"Um…I-I don't mind if you help her, if that's what you're asking." She moved her gaze to my silver-haired friend. "What exactly do you need him for?"

Sakagami pushed a lock of hair over her ear. "Well, like I said, some of the people who were supposed to help set up are sick, so I really need help."

My brow furrowed. "So what do you need me for? Why do you think I can help?"

"Like I said, I heard that you're reliable."

"I don't know how reliable I am," I admitted. "I mean, you heard about this from Furukawa, right? I was supposed to help her find new members for her club, but I forgot when things got…busy."

"But you apologized for that and promised to do better," Ryou interjected. "That shows that you have a good conscience."

"She's right, you know," Sakagami said confidently. "Everybody makes mistakes, but not everybody owns up to them. You're a valuable minority, Okazaki."

What was with all the praise lately? I sighed. "Ryou, you know this would end up taking time away from us."

"I-I know," she said. "B-But it's important to help your friends. B-Besides, this could be one of the challenges from your fortune."

"Fortune?" Sakagami asked with a puzzled look.

"She tells fortunes using tarot cards," I briefly explained before returning my attention to my girl. "Look, are you sure about this? We're already obligated to Furukawa and…I mean, while I'd like to help if I can, I'd hate to take out of our time even more."

"Then I'll help, too," Ryou said with an uncharacteristically confident smile. "That way we can do it together."

I sighed in resignation. "Well, should we have her meet us at our office during lunch, then?"

She gave me a confused look. "Office?"

"The wall where we eat."

"Oh," she giggled. "Yes, that would be fine." She turned to Sakagami and bowed slightly. "We would love to help if we could. C-Could you meet with us at the stone wall in front of the school during lunch?"

The student council president gave my girlfriend what appeared to be an appraising look. "Yeah. I'll be there, no problem. Catch you later, then?"

"Sure," I said. "See you then."

* * *

"How many people are you missing?" I asked as we settled in for lunch, the girls on the wall and me standing near my girl.

"Six, including Takamoto, the guy who was supposed to help with coordination."

"Six?!" I exclaimed. "How are Ryou and I supposed to make up for six people?"

"You don't have to," she replied smoothly. "She can make up for one, and you can make up for the other five."

I snorted. "You're really taking a risk here, you know that?"

"No, I'm not," she said. "I remember how much you helped me, and I've been hearing good stuff about you lately-"

"Whoa, waitaminute," I interrupted. "What have you been hearing about me?"

Tomoyo started counting on her fingers. "You're getting to school on time, your grades are improving, you've had a better attitude overall…"

"Tomoya-kun," my girlfriend giggled, "you're becoming famous."

"Seriously," Tomoyo agreed. "Do you still hate the idea of being on the Student Council? We could really use someone like you."

"Then go find someone like me," I quipped. "I couldn't live with someone looking over my shoulder all the time."

She studied me with a slight smile. "I envy you, Okazaki; doing what you want, when you want…I wish…"

I waited for her to finish, but she just sat there, staring at me.

"Sakagami-san…?" Ryou looked worried.

Not again... "Hey, Sakagami? 'I wish' what?"

"Huh?" She blinked, apparently coming back to reality. "I wish that…that…you'd join the Student Council!"

"Right," I said, not buying it for a minute. "Look, we'll talk about helping you out," I said, indicating Ryou and myself, "but as far as the Student Council, Ryou here would be a better choice."

"We already have too many girls in the council," Tomoyo argued. "It's starting to look like a matriarchy. No, we need some testosterone in there." She hopped down from the wall and took a step toward me, and I found myself taking a step back. "And I know that you have plenty to spare."

"S-Sakagami-san…?"

"That's…one of the most…interesting…compliments I think I've ever been given," I said, feeling my face heat up. "Um…thanks?"

"She-She's right, you know," Ryou added as she also hopped down from the wall, blush firmly in place. "Th-That's one of the things I l-love about you; h-how m-manly you are."

"Okay, one thing at a time," I said, trying to reign in my embarrassment. "We-We'll talk about helping with the festival; as far as the Council…w-we'll see."

"Fair enough," Tomoyo said decisively. "When should I check back with you for your answer?"

"H-How about lunchtime tomorrow?" Ryou suggested. "We could talk after school and on the way home…and before homeroom tomorrow morning."

"If you think that's enough time, then that's fine," I said, then addressed the Student Council president. "Tomorrow at lunchtime sound okay?"

"Sure," she replied. "Honestly, it's not like I have a whole lot of options anyway."

"What do you mean?" Ryou asked. "You have a whole school you could ask."

"Yeah, but I already know about Okazaki," Sakagami countered. "I know that I can c-count on him to step up."

* * *

"What do you think?" I asked as we headed home from school.

"I think we should try, at least," she replied. "Even if it turns out to be too much, we could at least do some good."

"Yeah, that's true," I said. "I'd hate leaving the job unfinished, though; I'm a guy, after all."

She giggled softly. "You certainly are." She gently pulled us to a stop, turning me to face her. "Y-Y-You're very much a m-man."

I chuckled as I took her into my arms and kissed the top of her head. "You're too good for me, cutie."

She smiled bashfully before looping her arms around the back of my neck and drawing me down for more serious kissing.


	5. Fuuko's Chapter

**Chapter Five: Fuuko's Chapter**

Fortunately, the next morning was a normal one with no surprise visitors, and Ryou and I were able to enjoy a relatively quiet walk to school.

"So we'll help Sakagami as much as we can until we burn out; is that right?" I asked as we walked hand-in-hand.

Ryou covered her giggle with the back of her hand, nearly bonking herself with her bag…very adorable. "Something like that, yes."

"I was thinking last night that we could encourage Furukawa to come up with some kind of performance for the festival," I said. "As far as I know, she'd just have to get the Student Council's approval to do it, and since, we're helping the Student Council…" I trailed off with a wicked grin.

"T-Tomoya-kun…" Ryou giggled again.

"Seriously though, if she could pull that off, not only would other students see it, but the parents of other students would as well, and they might encourage their kids to join." I sighed heavily. "I'm still a little worried that we're biting off more than we can chew. Also…" I trailed off as I thought about Furukawa's and Sakagami's unusual behaviors.

"Also what?" my girlfriend prompted.

I lifted my hand to scratch my head but succeeded only in bopping myself with my bag. "Ouch! Also…? Oh…uh…I'm not sure," I admitted. "It's just that…when we were talking with them…Furukawa and Sakagami were acting…I dunno, weird."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," I concluded. "I'm probably just seeing stuff that isn't there."

As we entered the school, we started noticing wooden stars in the hands of other students.

"How cute…" Ryou said as a classmate walked by with one in her hands. "I wonder if it's a new fashion statement."

"It's a starfish," I replied without thinking. "Wait, how did I know that?"

"Maybe it's because you're really smart, Tomoya-kun," Ryou giggled.

As we headed up to the third story I saw a familiar back, with long hair tied with a purple bow into a ponytail of sorts. "Fuuko…" I'd never figure out how but, for some reason, I had forgotten about the eccentric starfish carver.

"Fuuko?" my girl asked. "Who's that?"

I held up my bag next to my head to hide it from the girl's view. "Just act casual; don't look at her, don't speak to her."

"I can't do that, Tomoya-kun! That's rude!" Ryou protested.

"I'll be damned if this is going to be Fuuko's Chapter!" I said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, it's Strange Guy."

DAMMIT! We stopped, and I sighed, lowering my bag as we turned to our visitor. "Hello Fuuko; how's the starfish business?"

She looked from my face down to the clasped hands between Ryou and I, and I had a feeling I was about to see a repeat of previous conversations. "I-It's going fine," she replied. "Fuuko's making starfish and giving them as invitations to Onee-chan's wedding."

"T-Tomoya-kun?" Ryou asked meekly, and I knew what her next question was going to be. "H-How do you know this girl?"

At least I had a good format for my answer: "It's kind of a long story, but I guess the short version would be: After I found her injuring herself while trying to carve those starfish, I took her knife away. I eventually returned her knife and promised to leave her alone, but we've talked several times since then."

"Tomoya-kun was very rude," the first-year huffed. "After Fuuko gave Tomoya-kun a starfish and made herself talk to him, Tomoya-kun still treats Fuuko like a stranger."

"Wh…Why are you calling him T-Tomoya-kun?" Ryou asked with a shuddering voice.

Fuuko's eyes grew wider than their usual. "D-Did Fuuko say 'Tomoya-kun'? Of course Fuuko meant 'Okazaki-san'! O-Okazaki-san!" she looked around wildly before her eyes settled on the wooden starfish in her hands, and she thrust it out toward my girlfriend as she bowed. "P-Please accept this as an apology from Fuuko!"

"I-I couldn't accept such a wonderful g-gift!" Ryou exclaimed even as she released my hand to accept the carving.

"All right, everybody settle down," I said, trying to bring the bizarre situation under some kind of control. "Ryou, she's been giving these to the other students, so you'll probably get one eventually, anyway. As for you…" I rested a hand on Fuuko's slim shoulder and noticed that her cheeks were pinker than what I remembered, "…everybody makes mistakes, so don't worry about it."

"O-Okay," she replied, visibly starting to calm down.

"I-I'm sorry for yelling the way I did," Ryou said. "I-I guess I panicked when someone called my boyfriend what I usually call him…"

"I-It's not Ry-Ryou-san's fault," Fuuko stuttered. "I-If Fuuko was with s-someone as wonder-as weird as Okazaki-san, Fuuko would be p-protective, too."

"Hey!" I protested.

Ryou giggled even as she blotted tears from her eyes. "Y-You're right…I'm a really lucky girl."

"We'd…better get to class," I prompted. "The first bell's already rung." I took my girl's hand again. "Catch you later, Fuuko."

"Wait, please!" We stopped as the tiny first-year ran in front of us. "Fuuko's…been having trouble carving enough starfish and was hoping to find Tomo…Okazaki-san and ask him to help."

I looked over at Ryou with a smile of resignation. "Office?"

She giggled as she gave my hand a squeeze. "S-Sure."

* * *

So Ryou and I found ourselves with another visitor, and I found myself standing yet again while the girls shared the wall; I was starting to wonder if it would ever be just her and I again. "So, what do you want?" I asked.

"Tomoya-kun, you sound so aggressive," Ryou giggled.

"That's okay, Ryou-san; that's just the way Strange Guy is…Fuuko doesn't mind." Fuuko tapped her feet against the wall. "Fuuko's only been able to make ninety-six starfish so far…"

I did the rough math in my head. "That's…pretty slow. If I remember right, you want to make seven hundred…enough for the entire school, right?"

The first-year nodded solemnly. "At this rate, Onee-chan will never get married."

"I don't understand," Ryou said. "Why would your sister wait for you to do this? Couldn't she and her fiancé help? Couldn't they just send traditional invitations?"

"Yeah, wooden starfish seems a bit much," I added. "I mean, it's great that you want to do this for her, but aren't you pushing yourself too much?"

"Fuuko knows this," she replied. "But Fuuko may not have much time…"

"'Not much time'?" I repeated. "How much time? When's the cutoff?"

Fuuko averted her gaze to the ground. "Fuuko…doesn't know."

"Fuuko-san? Is there something you're not telling us?" Ryou asked.

She simply nodded slowly.

"Is it something you can't tell us?"

Fuuko looked up, studying me and then Ryou. Then, she carefully slid from the wall and held her hand out to my girlfriend. "Would Ryou-san come with Fuuko, please?"

I simply shrugged when Ryou looked to me. "It's up to you."

A smile flickered briefly before she returned her gaze to Fuuko's. "O-Okay," she said as she took the smaller girl's hand.

I waited for several minutes until Ryou returned, and I noticed that she was alone and a little unsteady on her feet. As she got closer I could see redness around her eyes.

When she got close enough, she grabbed my hands. "W-We have to help her!" she declared. "Fu-chan's…Fu-chan's…"

Concern welled up within me. "What's the matter, cutie? Fuuko's what?"

She opened her mouth, then stepped up to put her mouth next to my ear. "Fu-chan's d-dying," she whispered through teary shudders.

"What?!" I yelled, then quickly lowered my voice. "But she looks fine. Maybe a little short for her age, but-"

"My hand passed right…through…hers," she whispered, her voice tight. "She's a s-spirit, T-Tomoya-kun! She's here, b-but she's n-not here. We have to help her!"

"All right, all right cutie," I said as the warning bell rang, signaling the last five minutes of lunch; we hadn't even eaten anything. "Whatever she needs, she gets…"

Ryou held my arm tightly all the way back to class.


	6. The Needs of the Many

**Chapter Six: The Needs of the Many**

"She needs help with carving her starfish," Ryou explained as we made our way to her place. Kyou had some kind of activity after school, so she couldn't join us. "Her body is at the hospital in the next town, but somehow her spirit's able to do all this."

"Her spirit…" I mused; for some reason, I wasn't surprised. "Wouldn't this be right up your alley, cutie? I mean, you do fortunes, and that's occult stuff, right? Isn't this connected to that somehow?"

"B-But I'm not into the occult!" she declared passionately. "I just do fortune-telling for fun, not to try to c-contact anything s-spiritual!"

"Okay, sorry, sorry," I replied. "I didn't mean to set you off like that."

"I-I'm okay," she said. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you like that."

"You're fine," I replied, starting to feel like we were going in circles.

We were quiet for several minutes until I felt like I had to say something. "So…summer's really close, huh?"

"Yeah…" she replied noncommittally. "Um…T-Tomoya-kun?"

"Yeah, cutie?"

Her pace slowed, slowing me down as well. "H-How many cute g-girls do you know?"

"One," I replied easily, "and I'm very lucky to be dating her."

"Thank you." She giggled briefly before falling serious again. "Maybe I asked the wrong question. Um…other then Onee-chan and I, how many girls do you know?"

"Well, let's see…" Thinking about it, I realized that, other than Sunohara, everybody I'd come into contact with recently had been girls. "There's Furukawa and Sakagami – you've met them – Fuuko too…Miyazawa from the Reference Room…I think that's about it, unless you want to count the girl from the library, but I didn't really talk to her much."

"Y-You seem to get along with g-girls okay. What about the guys?"

"Just Sunohara," I answered easily. "And that's just because Koumura-sensei put us together. Now that I think of it, I haven't been to his place in a while." Ryou said nothing, and I looked over in concern when the silence became uncomfortable. "You okay? Did I say something wrong?"

"Eh?" Ryou looked up at me so quickly I was afraid her neck would pop. "N-No! You're fine! It's just…"

I kept my concerned expression but otherwise kept silent.

"…I don't know what to think about you being friendly with other girls."

"I see. Well, if it helps, I haven't had much to do with any of them since we started going out. I guess…I guess I just get along better with girls. Too many of the guys at school are trying to be something they're not, and I'm not interested in being like that."

"We girls can be like that, too," Ryou said quietly.

"I believe you," I replied, "but I don't see it, so I don't know about it."

In spite of my attempts at reassurance, I felt an uncomfortable tension the rest of the way to her house.

* * *

"Sorry about yesterday," I said, bowing to the student body president. "We got caught up in another drama."

She chuckled softly. "Drama seems to find you, doesn't it? It's okay. Are you ready to give me an answer?"

My girl and I exchanged awkward smiles. "I don't know how much use we'll be, but we'll help as much as we can."

"Great," Sakagami said as she drove a fist into her palm. "Let's get started as soon as possible, then. Are you free after school?"

Ryou and I exchanged another look. "W-We are…" Ryou started, "…but…"

"Is something wrong?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"No, no… It' just that…" Ryou suddenly took hold of my arm. "P-Please talk to her about F-Furukawa-san."

"Oh, right," I said, snapping my fingers. "We haven't talked to her about this, but we wanted to suggest having her do a performance at the festival, to help with recruiting. Would that be all right? I know we're not in a very good bargaining position here, but…"

Sakagami drummed her fingers against her crossed arm as she sighed. "I'd have to talk to the rest of the council, but…I'll see what I can do." She flicked a gaze at Ryou before focusing on me again, and I suddenly felt that discomfort again. "You ready for me to tell you what I need?"

I smiled self-consciously. "G-Go for it."

* * *

"A performance? At the festival?!" Furukawa laid a hand on her chest as though she was trying to control her breathing. "I-I don't know…"

"You don't have to," I said, trying to comfort her. "I just asked Sakagami about it to see if it could be an option."

"W-Well, thank you," she said, seeming to calm down. "The girls have been wanting to do something since they joined, and I think they may like to do something like this."

"You might be able to get even more members this way," Ryou offered. "That's why Tomoya-kun talked to her about it."

I could see a look of determination in Furukawa's eyes as she gazed at me. "Of course! If Okazaki-san could talk to the Student Council president about this, then I should be able to do a performance!"

I raised a hand to stop her and I noticed that it was trembling; that look in her eyes… "Y-You don't have to, Furukawa; like I said, we're just trying to get you the choice."

"Thank you!" she cried as she grabbed onto my hands, sending a chill down my spine. "I-I'll go talk to the girls about it!" And with that, she hurried off to do who-knew-what.

I brushed my hands together to get rid of the lingering sensation of her touch. Something about our interaction… "W-Well, she's off, I guess. Well, shall we-"

My girlfriend stood beside me, holding her skirt in her clenched fists and trembling. "T-Tomoya…kun…"

"Ryou?" I said, removing her hands from her rumpled skirt to hold them in mine. "What's wrong?"

She looked up at me with what looked like panicked eyes. "N-Nothing! Nothing, really!"

"Hey, it's okay…" I said softly as I caressed the back of her hands with my thumbs. "If there's something wrong, you can tell me. I'm your boyfriend, right?"

"B-Boyfriend…" She pulled her hands from mine to step forward and wrap her arms around me. "Y-Yes, you're my boyf-friend. And I…I-I-I-I'm your girlfriend…"

I held her trembling form and wondered just what in the hell was going on.

* * *

"Fuuko needs to make seven-hundred starfish, but Fuuko can't do it alone," the first-year announced. "Fuuko needs Strange Guy to help."

"First, we really need to work on your pronouns," I quipped and Ryou, who had managed to recover from her earlier distress, giggled softly. "Seriously, we'd really like to help you but…seven-hundred is still a lot of work; you're going to need more than the two of us if you're going to succeed."

"Fuuko knows this!" she exclaimed. "But Tom…Okazaki-san is smart and reliable, and can help Fuuko help Onee-chan!"

I sighed, then looked over to my girl. "This is getting more and more complicated."

She gave me a cute smile. "Maybe we should have recruited for Fu-chan instead of Furukawa-san?"

"No, we couldn't do…wait a minute…" a smile slowly spread across my face. "I think you might be on to something, cutie."

"Wh-What?"

"Well, if we recruit for Furukawa, she'll probably feel indebted to us so we could ask her about helping with Fuuko's situation. If we had the whole Theater Club helping out, we could finish this in a week, maybe two."

"What about the Student Council president?"

I quirked my mouth to the side. "I'm not sure; she may consider letting Furukawa do her performance as repayment for our help…but we could still ask." I snorted. "If we could get Sakagami alone, she could probably carve all of them by herself; that girl's ridiculously strong." I looked back to Fuuko. "You let us handle this, okay? Just keep carving like you have been, and Ryou and I will see what we can do, okay?"

Our underclassman nodded once. "Okay!"

"And work on your pronouns," I added.

She hesitated, but finally nodded again with a light blush. "Okay!"

I raised a hand as she ran off to do who-knew-what before turning to my girl. "I was thinking that we could talk to…what's wrong?"

Ryou had taken hold of her skirt again as she trembled. "T-Tomoya-kun…she…she…"

I sighed as I took her into my arms again and hoped that, someday, she'd tell me what the problem was.


	7. Complications

**Chapter Seven: Complications**

"O-Okazaki-san?"

I turned to find Furukawa staring up at me with puppy-dog eyes, and found myself wishing that Ryou had stuck around rather than going to lunch with her sister. "Wh-What's up?"

She shifted her weight from foot to foot as she knotted her fingers repeatedly. "We have a play that w-we'd like to do for the festival, but…but…"

"'But' what?" I prompted.

Furukawa suddenly grabbed onto my arm. "We…We need a boy for one of the roles, but all we have a-are girls."

"So have one of them cross-dress," I said. "They do that in real theater, don't they?"

"That's true, b-but…" She started fidgeting again. "N-None of us are comfortable doing a romantic role with another girl."

"You're doing a romantic play?" I blurted. "That's pretty gutsy for you, Furukawa! Good job!"

"The play isn't romantic!" she cried, latching onto me again. "It's just…one scene."

I looked at her in disbelief. "You're telling me that none of you can suck it up and cross-dress for one romantic scene?" I had a feeling where this was going, but I was going to run from it as long as I could.

She averted her gaze to the floor. "We-We can't."

I sighed. "And you don't have any other plays you could do?"

She shook her head. "Ichika-san's working on a screenplay, but we don't have enough time to finish it and rehearse and everything." She looked up at me with puppy-dog eyes again, and I knew exactly what she was going to ask. "Would…Would you be willing to be play the man's role? You wouldn't have many lines, and it wouldn't take much of your time."

I sighed again, more heavily this time. "You're asking a lot of me this time, Furukawa. I'm already Ryou's boyfriend, and you're asking me to pretend to be someone else's love interest?"

She nodded before looking at the floor again.

"Who's playing the girl that this guy's supposed to be talking to?"

She answered so quietly I had to ask her to repeat herself. "Me," she finally answered meekly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I smelled a rat, but was sure that Furukawa wasn't a man-stealer, so… "Look, I'll talk with Ryou about this, but only because you asked. Honestly, I think you should find another guy to do this, one who's not seeing anyone." I sighed again. "I'll talk to her, but don't expect a 'yes', you understand?"

She said nothing but nodded quickly.

I managed a smile as she scooted off yet again; it took a lot of courage for her to approach me about this, me being someone's boyfriend…and being Okazaki Tomoya, for that matter.

* * *

"She…She did?!" Ryou squeaked. "She couldn't find anyone else?"

"I told her that she should find another guy for the part, but…I think she asked me because of our friendship…and desperation. I think we have a couple of options." I started counting off on my fingers, "One: We tell her 'no', and that's that. Two: We tell her 'yes', but only on the condition that you're there for every practice and performance. I don't want to give you a reason to doubt me."

"I-I'd never doubt you, Tomoya-kun!"

I rested a hand on her head. "Thanks cutie, but I'd rather not take that risk."

"I think…I think…you should h-help her as m-much as p-possible," she said, to my surprise.

"You sure?"

She nodded, but her expression didn't quite match her behavior. I didn't want to second-guess her though, so… "All right," I said with resignation. "I'll give her the green-light. I'm not really comfortable about this, but she needs the help and you'll be there, so…" I sighed, trying to expel the bad feeling in my gut.

* * *

"'You…are…the…delicate…flower that shines…in the darkest night…"

"That was really bad, Okazaki-senpai," Narita giggled. "You sound like the Zombie Prince or something."

"Now, that's not very nice," Furukawa scolded as the girls giggled. "Okazaki-san is giving his time to us, so we need to be grateful and encouraging." She walked up to me with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Okazaki-san; I know you're doing your best."

"I just feel awkward," I said, holding up the sheet. "I mean, this isn't the way I talk."

"It's hard pretending to be someone else, isn't it?" she asked with a warm smile. "But, once you get it, it feels…freeing."

I glared at my lines again, then looked over at Ryou and had a flash of intuition. "Let me try something…"

Ryou looked up at me as I approached her. "Tomoya-kun, is something wrong?"

I held the page so I could see her past the words and tried reading again: "You are the delicate flower that shines in the darkest night. Your loveliness is greater than that of the angels. My heart swells at the sound of your voice, my dearest, and know that I wish to be forever yours."

When my focus shifted from the sheet to my girl's face, her hands covered her mouth, and there were tears in her eyes. "T-Tomoya-kun…"

"R-Ryou? Are you okay? I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"That…That was beautiful, Okazaki-s-senpai," Ichika said, while wiping her eyes. Several of the other girls were also wiping at their eyes with their sleeves.

"Th-That t-took me by surprise," Narita agreed.

"Thanks, girls," I said, then turned toward Furukawa. "Well, is that good enough for-"

The Theater Club president stood before me with her clasped hands pressed against her chest, trembling, with tears pooling in her eyes. "O-O-Okaza…ki…"

I quickly put myself next to my girlfriend, resting my hand on her shoulder. "So, it m-meets with your approval, then?"

She simply nodded as tears trickled down her cheeks.

I sighed noisily between my lips. "So…day after tomorrow?"

Another nod.

I smiled self-consciously as I helped Ryou to her feet. "Well…later, then." I waved as she gave them a small bow.

What an awkward rehearsal.

* * *

Ryou seemed lost in thought as we headed to her place.

"What's up?" I asked. "Look, if you're not comfortable with me being in the play, just say so and I'm out."

She looked up at me, and I could see the pain on her face as clear as day. "I-It's not the play…"

"Well, you look upset about something. What's going on?"

"I-I just have some things…to work out…"

"Well, let me help you work them out. Don't do this by yourself."

"I-I'm okay…I-I'm sure it's nothing…I'm probably just overthinking it."

"Overthinking what?" For the first time in our relationship I was starting to lose patience with her, and I stopped her with my hands on her shoulders. "Stop leaving me in the dark! I want to help you, but I can't if you won't talk to me!" I suddenly felt dizzy as I felt a sense of déjà vu, remembering a similar conversation with Kyou. "Wha…?"

"Tomoya-kun! Are you okay?" I faintly heard Ryou's panicked voice and felt arms around me, which helped bring me back to reality.

I shook my head several times to clear it. "It was weird, cutie; it was like a memory of something I didn't do."

"M-Maybe you're tired," she said. "M-Maybe we should take you home, first; I can walk home by myself."

"No. No, I'm fine," I asserted. "I'm fine now. Let's, um…get you home, okay?"

* * *

I felt another sense of déjà vu when Kyou came out the front door of her home. "Welcome home, Ryou. Hey, Tomoya."

"Hey Cupid," I said, raising my free hand in greeting and trying to ignore a 'memory' of her in a purple bikini.

Kyou took hold of my other arm. "You gonna stay a while? I made another batch of cookies!"

"Onee-chan…he's had a really long day…"

"Aw, come on, Ryou! He'll be fine after he eats! Besides, you want him to stay, don't you?"

"O-Of course…"

"Then it's decided!" the older twin declared as she proceeded to drag me into their home.

I ended up going home feeling bloated again.


	8. Misfortune-Telling

**Chapter Eight: Misfortune-Telling**

I watched as Ryou told fortunes for the mass of girls hovering around her desk. I smiled at the look on her face as she told what must have been a particularly favorable one to a blue-haired second-year. I chuckled softly to myself as the girl clapped her hands over her mouth, then bowed repeatedly as she backed out the classroom door.

Finally the crowd disappeared and Ryou sighed heavily. "That was exhausting," she sighed.

"It looked like more than usual," I remarked as I opened and handed her a can of tea.

She took a couple sips of the beverage before speaking. "Most of them were from the Theater Club, I think. I remember their faces from the other day."

I moved behind her and gently massaged her shoulders. "When you're ready, we'll head for home, 'k?"

"Okay," She relaxed in her chair and let me work on her shoulders.

After a few minutes, she started to fidget, so I removed my hands. "All ready, then?"

She stared at her desk for several seconds before pulling out her tarot cards again and began shuffling them.

"Ryou?"

"I have to do this," she said. "I have to know." She finished shuffling and laid them out in one of her circular patterns. I straddled the chair of the desk ahead of her and watched.

I enjoyed the look on concentration on her face. I didn't mind that she didn't seem to notice me; it gave me the chance to study her.

Suddenly, her expression turned to one of dismay. "No…" she breathed. "No no no…" Tears began to fill her eyes. "I knew it…"

I immediately went to Red Alert. "Ryou? Cutie? What's wrong?"

"The cards…" She pointed at them with trembling hands. "Y-You're surrounded by beautiful girls, and all of them desire you-"

"B-Bullshit!" I panicked, causing her to jump. "That…That can't be right!"

"Look!" she said, pointing to one card in particular. "That's Sakagami-san! See the sword? It's silver, like her hair! And this one, with all the stars?"

"Fuuko…" I said, remembering her as the first girl I met with because of Yukine's stupid spell. "It's her, isn't it?"

She nodded sadly. "And look at these two; look at the backgrounds…"

"They're rooms full of books," I said. "So what…?" Then it hit me. "Oh, hell no!"

"D-Didn't you meet a girl in the library? And Miyazawa-san stays in the Reference Room d-during breaks, right?" She pointed to another card with twins on it. "O-Onee-chan and me-"

"STOP IT!" I cried, sweeping my hands across the desk, knocking the cards to the floor. "I'm sorry about your cards, but this can't be right! You must be reading them wrong or something!"

Ryou reached down and picked up one of the cards. "This…" She showed me the card, but I was paying more attention to the tears in her eyes. "This is Furukawa-san."

I reluctantly looked at the card. It showed a sickly-looking tree with colorful, vibrant leaves; I felt as sick as the tree looked. "Ryou, why are you doing this?"

She bit her lip. "I-I can't compare to these other girls, Okazaki-kun."

My heart sank; 'Okazaki-kun'?

"Even on the card that shows Onee-chan and I…" she picked up the remaining cards from the floor and pulled the twins card to show me. "Where's the girl with the short hair relative to the long-haired one?"

"In the background," I groaned.

She nodded sadly. "That's me, Okazaki-kun."

"Stop calling me 'Okazaki-kun'!" I yelled in desperation. "I'm your Tomoya-kun!"

"I'm s-sorry," she said, starting to cry. "B-But I just can't compare!"

"It doesn't matter to me!" I said. "You're my cutie!"

"Not anymore!" she yelled, her eyes squeezed shut.

I sat, stunned; she'd never yelled at me before. "What…?"

"I'm sorry…I-I'm not good enough for you…"

I grabbed for a lifeline to keep her from doing what it looked like she was trying to do. "I don't care about that, cutie. I care about you."

"But I do!" she declared. She took a deep breath, tears spilling from her eyes. "I…I-I release you, Okazaki-kun. Find someone who's better for you than me."

* * *

"…"

Huh?

"...?"

Was someone talking to me?

"Hey, Okazaki!"

I snapped out of my reverie to see Sakagami squatting in front of the bench where I was sitting. "Oh. Sorry. I'm a little out of it."

She snorted. "No kidding; I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes, but all you'd do is stare into space." She pushed her hair over her ear, reminding me of the Silver Sword. "You okay?"

I shook my head; at least, I think I did. "No. No, I'm not okay."

"What happened?"

My eyes stung, and my dry throat suddenly constricted. "Ryou…cutie…she dumped me."

"Damn," she muttered. "I'm really sorry. Did she say why?"

"Yeah," I answered honestly, but didn't dare say more.

She seemed to pick up on my cue. "Well, I'm sure it's your business. But if you need to talk to someone, you come to me, okay?" She reached out and laid a hand on my shoulder. "Friends take care of each other, right?"

I think I nodded in response.

She smiled sadly. "Damn Okazaki, you're a mess. Come on; let's get you home." She somehow got my arm across her shoulders and helped me to my feet. "Let's go."

We had just passed the school gate when I heard a familiar voice. "Okazaki-san! There you are!" I felt Sakagami stop, so I must have stopped, too.

A moment later, Furukawa came into my field of vision. "I heard about what happened! I'm so sorry!"

"Take it easy on him," I heard Sakagami say. "He's in a pretty bad way right now; I think he's in shock."

"Then we should take him to the hospital if he's in shock!" Furukawa exclaimed.

"Not that kind of shock. He's just…really upset right now, so I'm helping him get home."

I faintly saw Furukawa nod. "Okay. I'll help, too." She disappeared, and I felt my other arm being lifted up. I was glad that most of the school had already gone home, otherwise it would have been really embarrassing.

As we made our way to my house I felt my strength start to return so I started walking on my own. "I think I'm good now," I said.

"You still look like a mess," Sakagami remarked. "At least let us see you home, just in case."

"Do what you want," I grunted. "Oh, and thanks for the help…really."

I fumbled with my door key before Furukawa took it from me and unlocked the front door. "Here you go, Okazaki-san," she said, and I thought I heard warmth in her voice. "It's open."

I could see that it was open, but didn't want to be rude by pointing that out. "I'm not really up to company right now," I grunted, "but I'd like to thank you for helping me out, so…want to come in for tea?"

They looked at each other briefly before smiling. "Sure," Sakagami said.

"We'll try not to stay too long," Furukawa added.

I stepped aside to let them in, shut the door, then turned to find both of the girls in the kitchen already. "Hey," I said, shuffling toward the kitchen, "I said I'd make the-"

"Now, Okazaki-san…" Furukawa said comfortingly, "…your heart's probably hurting really badly right now, so let us take care of you for now, okay?"

I sighed heavily. She was right, of course; I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest, so I nodded in defeat. "Okay. Thank you." I headed back to the common area and half-sat, half fell onto one of the cushions surrounding the kotatsu. My limbs felt heavy and my heart ached. Why had she dumped me? Weren't we doing well? Was I not good enough for her? Those stupid cards! Maybe if she hadn't…I thumped the tabletop with my fist.

"H-Here's your tea," Furukawa said as she set a steaming mug before me. She then sat next to me at the square table as Sakagami sat across from me. "Next time I'll bring some bread from home," she said with a giggle.

"I'll look forward to it," I said, trying to cheer myself up. In the back of my mind, I knew that two of Ryou's cards sat at my table, but for now I just wanted the sting to go away. "Hey, this is good," I remarked after taking a sip.

Sakagami gave me an incredulous look. "It's your tea, Okazaki. Why are you surprised?"

"I don't usually drink tea at home," I said. "I hate my old man, so I try to be in bed and asleep before he gets home so he doesn't try to talk to me. Doesn't give me a lot of time to eat anything here."

"I see," the Silver Sword – Dammit! – replied.

"If you want, you can have dinner with us whenever you want," Furukawa said. "And that room is always open for you."

I remembered what she was talking about; she had offered me a place to stay because I had been kind to her or something like that. "Thanks, Furukawa; I'll keep that in mind."

"And don't worry about helping with the festival," Sakagami added. "You're going through a lot right now."

"Thanks," I sighed. "Give me a couple of days to recover, but I think I'll eventually need the distraction."

After we finished our tea, the girls headed for the door. "We don't want to overstay our welcome," Furukawa said.

"You'll want to get as much sleep as you can," Sakagami added.

"Thanks," I said; then, I rubbed the back of my neck. "Listen…I, uh, really appreciate you two helping me out. I needed friends around, and you were there for me, so…thanks."

"You're welcome," Furukawa said as she took one of my hands. "I am so sorry for what you're having to go through. I think she made a big mistake in letting you go like that."

"I agree," Sakagami chimed in as she laid a hand on my shoulder. "For what it's worth, I think she'll look back and regret it someday."

"Thanks, girls."

I watched them head down the road together before slowly closing the door, slowly turning around, slowly leaning back against the door, and slowly sinking to the floor to let out my grief.


	9. Life Whiplash

**Chapter Nine: Life Whiplash**

I steeled my nerves before opening the door to my classroom. Fortunately I'd had a couple of days to recover, since Ryou had dumped me after school on Saturday…not that it didn't still hurt, of course.

I stepped into the classroom and shut the door behind me before turning and making my way to Ryou's desk. "Hey," I greeted.

She looked up at me, surprise evident. "H-Hi."

We stared at each other for a moment before I remembered why I was at her desk. "R-Right." I started rummaging around in my backpack for the box that I had purchased on Sunday. "Listen, I'm really sorry for wh-what I did to your cards, so…" I found the box, a duplicate of the tarot deck she already had, and laid it on her desk. "This is to replace any cards that I might have ruined. Sorry about that."

She simply stared up at me with tears pooling in her eyes.

"Well...um, take care," I said, and headed to my seat and fell into it.

A few seconds later, the door slammed open. "TOMOYA!" I flinched at the sound of my name as the older twin stormed up to me. "What did you do to my sister? You must have done something to her to make her dump you like that!"

"Onee-chan…" I could hear Ryou protesting. "Okazaki-kun didn't-"

"It's okay, Ryou; your Onee-chan can handle this." Kyou then turned back to me. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

What was I supposed to say? I didn't even understand why Ryou had dumped me. "I...I don't know what to say…"

"Don't give me that!" she bellowed, and she grabbed me by my tie and pulled me to my feet. "You treat my sister badly and expect me to listen to 'I don't know'?!"

"Onee-chan, please stop!"

At that moment, something within me snapped, and I saw Kyou's surprised face through a field of red before my fist lashed out, seemingly on its own. "Why is it always my fault, you bitch?!" I yelled at her as she sat on the floor, her hand over her nose. "Every time something goes wrong, it's always Okazaki's fault!" The blood drained out of my face as I realized what I had done; I had hit a girl. "Oh, shit," I said as I raised my trembling hand to my eyes, and I could see several small spots of blood on it. "Oh, shit…"

I looked around the classroom to find every set of wide eyes on me, and I noticed that it was so quiet that I could hear a pin drop. I looked back down at my shaking fist and covered it with my other hand. "What have I done…? Kyou, I…"

She said nothing, but looked up at me with a look of terror…I had never seen that look on her face before.

"Oh, no…" I breathed. "I've got to get out of here…I'm not a safe person…I'm not-" Without even a glance behind me, I tore out of the classroom and down the hall. I didn't know where I was going to go, I just knew that I had to be away from people; I didn't want to hurt anyone else.

* * *

I finally ran out of breath in a park not too far from the school. I plopped down onto one of the benches there and buried my face in my hands. Kyou's blood was still on the back of my hand, but I didn't care; I was a criminal and, when the police came, it would make it easier for them to figure out who did it.

I stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for the police to show up and take me away.

"Hey, you okay?"

I raised my head from my hands. "Are you the police?" I asked.

The man shook his head with a small smile. "No, I'm not the police. Why, do you need them?"

I nodded. "I'm a criminal."

"Why are you a criminal?" he asked, and I finally noticed that he was the wrong color for a Japanese, his skin color being more white. He also had a pretty strong accent, but not so bad that I couldn't understand him. "Have you done something wrong?"

I nodded again, more slowly. "I punched a girl."

"Really?" His question sounded more like a statement. "She must have been really pushing your buttons for you to hit her. Or do you go around hitting girls – or people – in general?"

"No," I replied. "But I still shouldn't have hit her."

I felt him studying me as I returned to staring at the ground. "Listen," he eventually said. "I have a home visit that I have to do but, if you're willing to talk to me, I'd like to hear about what's going on."

"Do whatever you want," I mumbled.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can, but I'll probably be about twenty minutes," he said. "Just…hang in there, okay?"

I just raised a hand and waved it at him. "Sure. Whatever."

* * *

Apparently I was still there twenty minutes later, because I heard footsteps followed by a somewhat familiar voice. "Thanks for waiting," the man said, and I heard a creak and felt the bench shift as he sat toward the other end. "Before we get started…my name is Jeff Ashton; call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity."

"Ashton-san?" I said, then chuckled at the mouthful. "You're definitely not Japanese."

"Argh, my cover's blown," he said, and I could hear the humor in his voice. "Yeah, I'm actually from America...sorry about my Japanese – and my accent – I'm not very skilled, yet."

"Don't worry about it," I grunted. "I can understand you well enough. My name's Okazaki. What do you want?"

I heard the bench creak and figured that he was leaning back. "Well, you look like you're hurting about something…I want to help if I can…and if you'll let me."

"Can you help me get Ryou back?"

"What? You want revenge?"

I scoffed. "No…" How could this American help me if he could barely understand me? What arrogance. "I was in a relationship with a girl, but she broke up with me."

"A lost relationship…that's awful," he said, and I was surprised to hear genuine sympathy in his tone. How could he do that? We'd only just met. "How long ago did this happen?"

"Last Saturday; a couple of days ago," I replied, sitting up to actually look at him.

"That's too bad," he replied. "It looks like…wait, is she the one you punched?"

I shook my head vigorously. "No way! I punched her sister for trying to blame me for the whole thing! She blames me for pretty much everything."

"Okay," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "All right. Well, I was about to say that it looks like she meant a lot to you…and still does."

"Yeah," I said. "I don't get it; she looks at her tarot cards and, from that, decides that she's not right for me or something like that."

"Tarot cards, huh?" I looked over to see Ashton rubbing at his chin. "Does she use the cards a lot?"

"Mainly for other people," I replied. "Why?"

"Hmm…" he said, still rubbing his chin. "Okazaki-san, I need to think about this. I have an idea what might be going on, but I'm going to need to do some reading and talk with you some more…and with her, if possible. In the meantime…" he clapped his hands on his knees as he rose to his feet. "Let's go get something to eat; I'm hungry and I'd like to learn more about you. What about you? Are you hungry?"

My smile was more of a grimace as I got to my feet as well. "Yeah, a little."

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You pick, I treat; how's that sound?"

I chuckled in spite of myself. "I'm always ready for free food."

* * *

"…and after my shoulder broke, I kinda gave up on life. Getting with Ryou really helped me turn my life around, but…" I shrugged. "…I'm a little worried that I'll go back to my old habits. I really don't want to, but…" Why was I telling a total stranger my life story, anyway?

Ashton sighed heavily. "No, I think I get it; you lost your motivation, and now you're worried about losing it again."

I thought about his words as I chewed. As I finished my bite, I found myself nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I think you're right. She was my inspiration for doing better, but now that she's not…"

"Yeah," he said, thumping the table with his fist. "If you don't mind me asking, what school do you attend?"

"Hikarizaka High."

His eyebrows jumped. "Isn't that the college-preparation school at the top of the hill?"

"That's the one."

"You must be a remarkable student to be able to attend."

I leveled my gaze at him. "I got in on a basketball recommendation."

"Oh." His face fell, and I figured he had realized the problem. "Ouch." He took a deep breath. "You really got a raw deal, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"And this girl was the first good thing to happen to you in a long time, and now she's been taken away from you."

"…Yeah."

I watched as his eyes became unfocused. "Do you have any friends? Or anything to take up your time, be a distraction?"

"I'll be helping the Student Council president with the festival setup," I told him. "And I have friends, but they're all girls."

"That's…an interesting situation," he said, nodding. "In any case, you could really use the distraction while you get your feelings sorted out." He leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "Okazaki-san; what do you want out of life?"

"To be done with school," I whined, and we both chuckled at that. "Seriously, though? I don't know any more. Ever since my shoulder broke I really haven't known what I can do. I remember telling Ryou that I wanted to be more than an electrician or…well, I just wanted to provide so we wouldn't have to just get by."

"Get by financially?"

"Yeah."

"And you want your girlfriend back, right?"

"Yeah, if I can."

"All right!" Ashton clapped his hands and rubbed them together vigorously. "The first thing we need to do is get you built up! No employer is going to think much of you if you don't think much of yourself. I know you have the situation with your shoulder, but we'll just have to deal with that."

"Wait a minute, sir," I said, raising a hand. "Why are you doing this for me?

"Huh…? Oh! Sorry, I guess I haven't properly introduced myself! My apologies," he said as he extended a hand. "Pastor Jeff Ashton; I live to serve."


	10. Failed Isolation

**Chapter Ten: Failed Isolation**

I bolted from my chair, angry. "You're one of those, huh?"

"One of what?" he asked, looking confused.

"One of those…those…" I flapped my hand at him as I tried to find the right word. "Priests, right? You're one of those, trying to get me to follow whatever whacked-out religion you follow! And an American one, at that!"

He smiled softly. "Yes, I am a Christian pastor, that's true. But I'm not here to try to convert you to Christianity or anything like that, if that's what you're worried about. Like I said, I live to serve; whether you choose to become a follower or not is up to you."

I still felt a little betrayed, but realized that he wasn't acting like most religious nuts. "Fine," I growled as I settled back into my seat.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was so caught up in learning about your situation that I didn't think to tell you about my job. I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea."

"It's fine," I growled again. "I figure if you were one of those religious nuts, you'd be getting on me about every little thing."

"I know what you mean," he said, surprising me. "I used to be like that…then I realized that I wasn't showing a 'servant's heart' with that. I was lecturing people instead of supporting them in their growth."

I studied him while he spoke; I knew that I was still too young to be a really good judge of character, but something about him… "Listen…sorry for snapping at you like that."

"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. "We Christians haven't exactly been the best examples for the last few centuries. I just want to be what He made me to be and show His love to others."

I sighed heavily. Even if I never became a religious nut, maybe he could teach me some things that would help me become a better person. "All right…Pastor…teach me what you know. As far as becoming 'one of His'…we'll see."

He nodded solemnly. "I'll do my best to not ram the Bible down your throat, but understand that that's where my knowledge and understanding of things comes from." He extended his hand again. "Can you work with that? With my limitations?"

I studied his hand for a minute; it didn't look very old, but it did look very open and honest. If his knowledge could help me win Ryou back…

I reached out and shook his hand. "Sure."

* * *

I was surprised when I made it to school the next day without being stopped by the police.

My classmates whispered amongst themselves as I entered the classroom and made my way over to my desk and settled into it, placing my bag on the floor next to it.

I heard the door slide open, and cringed as Kyou entered the room, her nose wrapped in a bandage and a bruise on her cheek. She walked straight up to my desk and looked down at me. Whatever she had to say or do to me, I deserved it.

"So the doctor says nothing's broken," she said with a slight 'honk' to her tone. "It's a good thing I didn't hit the desk any harder than I did, huh?"

"I'm sor-wait, what?!"

"I fell asleep and hit my nose on my desk, remember?"

"Oh…right…" Was she trying to cover for me? "Hey, uh…c-can I talk to you…after school?" I asked hesitantly.

She studied me for a minute. "Park area, you and me."

I sighed in relief. Even if she was going to lie for me, I still wanted to apologize properly for my actions. "I'll be there," I promised.

"And we'll talk about how I hit my nose on my desk," she declared through clenched teeth, turning a glare on the rest of my class. "Right?!"

A classroom full of students nodded in unison.

"O-Onee-chan," Ryou giggled, and my heart skipped a beat.

"See you later, Balrog," Kyou quipped as she left the room.

That was a load off my mind.

* * *

I still didn't trust my temper, though, so at lunch I tried to find someplace where I wouldn't be around anyone else. I sighed contentedly as I settled on the ground next to a tree.

As I opened my bread, however, I felt like I was being watched and looked up to see Fuuko standing before me. For a moment I wondered where she had come from before remembering what Ryou had told me about her. "Hey," I greeted. "I'm not the safest person to be around right now, so…"

"It's okay, Okazaki-san," she said as she settled down nearby. "Fuuko saw what happened."

"You were there, huh? How embarrassing," I grumbled as I finished unwrapping my lunch. "I plan on apologizing to her after school, if she'll let me."

"Why does Okazaki-san need to apologize?" she asked. "She was bullying you; she's bullied you for a long time."

I blinked; pronouns? Well, rather than make an issue of it… "True, but that doesn't make it okay for me to hit her."

"Girls use their words as weapons, and boys use their fists," she retorted, raising her hands in a shrug. "That's just the way they're made. If girls want boys to not use their fists against them, then they shouldn't use their words against boys."

She had a point, but… "That's true, but Kyou being wrong doesn't make me right," I said as I offered her a piece of my bread, which she accepted. "I choose my actions, just like she does."

"Fuuko wouldn't treat you like that," she grumped. "Okazaki's a neat guy who deserves to be treated with respect."

I chuckled. "I wouldn't say that I deserve respect, but thanks."

"I-Is this space taken?"

We looked up to see Furukawa trembling before us, and I realized that it must have taken a lot of courage to approach us. "Honestly, I don't think I'm a safe person right now, so-"

"Right here," Fuuko said, patting the ground next to her. "Okazaki's a safe person, whether he thinks so or not."

"It's not that," Furukawa said with a giggle and an attractive blush. "It just looked like you two were together, and I didn't want to interrupt."

"Oh," Fuuko replied. "In that case, we're very busy right now, doing….talking."

"Knock it off, Fuuko," I said as I waved Furukawa back. Maybe the company would be good for me, even if it was…them. "You're welcome if you don't mind the company."

"I prefer it!" she chirped as she sat down next to Fuuko again. "Who wouldn't want to sit with you, anyway? You're tall and cool…"

"Okay, stop," I said, raising a hand. "You heard about what happened to Kyou, right?"

"I…did," she admitted, "but I also know you well enough to know that you had to have a good reason, right?"

"I wonder…"

"Kyou-san was bullying him!" Fuuko declared.

Furukawa's eyes widened. "R-Really?"

"Stop making it more than it is," I complained. "She and I have had our back-and-forths, but we otherwise get along really well…at least, we used to." I sighed. "I know she lied for me, but I still hope that she'll forgive me."

"She will," came a new yet familiar voice, and I looked up to see Sakagami this time. "If she tried to say anything bad about you at this point, I don't think anyone would believe her, anyway." She gestured to the ground beside me. "Can I sit with you?"

My tree was rapidly becoming the most popular spot on the school grounds as the Student Council president sat down next to me and pulled out her lunch.

"Don't you have council stuff during lunch?" I asked.

"Not today."

I waited for her to say more, but she set about to opening her bento boxes. "Ooookay," I said before returning to my meal.

As we ate I thought back to my conversation with Ashton. "Christian, huh…?" I mused. I'd heard about them, of course, but I'd never talked to one in person; I had figured that Christianity was a religion for white westerners, so it was surprising to find one in Japan, in the city where I lived, no less. "I wonder if the library has a copy of that book…" Maybe if I read it, I could understand Ashton a little more.

"Did you say something, Okazaki?" Sakagami asked between bites.

"Oh, sorry; just talking to myself."

She gave me a look of disbelief. "You have all these beautiful women around you, and you'd rather talk to yourself?"

I chuckled self-consciously. "Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind; I didn't mean to ignore you Beautiful Women."

"D-Don't worry about it," she replied with a tint to her cheeks, and when I looked, the other two were pinked as well. "Just make sure you're paying attention to who you're with," she warned.

"Understood," I said as I planned a visit to the library.


	11. Thirst for Knowledge

**Chapter Eleven: Thirst for Knowledge**

Before heading to the library I decided to stop by the Reference Room on the off-chance that someone had left a bible there. I knew that one of Ryou's 'cards' was in there, but…if nothing else, it was closer than the library.

"Ah, Tomoya-san; welcome," Miyazawa said as she rose from her seat and bowed. "It's been a while. Would you like some coffee?"

"S-Sure, thanks." I made my way over to a stack of books and started my search as the smell of brewing coffee started to fill the room. "Not here…"

The next shelf had sports manga, while the next had hentai…I quickly moved to the next row as my face heated up.

I felt a presence next to me and found Miyazawa with a cute smile and a steaming mug. "Here you go, Tomoya-san!"

"Thanks," I said as I took the mug and a sip. "I feel kinda stupid asking this," I admitted, "but are there any bibles in here?"

"Bibles? Well…" she said, heading to another bookcase. "Here's a manga bible; everything you wanted to know about manga up until…" she checked the cover, "…2001."

"No, no; I'm talking about the Christian bible."

She blinked at me. "You think someone's religious book was confiscated and brought here?"

"I'm not thinking of anything in particular," I said. "It's just that you have so many books, and you're closer than the library, so I thought I'd stop here first."

"I'm sorry; I don't think I have one of those," she said with an embarrassed smile and a giggle. "But…would you like to try the spell for today?"

I chuckled as she retrieved her 'spellbook'. "Do you have one that can cure bruises?"

"Bruises?" she gasped. "Are you hurt?" She dropped the book on the table and hurried over to me to poke at me repeatedly.

"Hey! Stop that," I protested. "I'm fine! It's for someone else!"

"Oh!" she squeaked. "I'm sorry!" she backed away, giving me precious breathing room. "Um…I'm afraid my book doesn't have any spells like that; they're mainly love spells, remember?"

"Oh. Right," I said, lightly bopping myself on the head. "I guess it has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," she said as she gazed at me with a small smile.

I suddenly felt very uncomfortable, so I quickly drained my mug and moved to the sink to rinse it out. "W-Well, it's been nice seeing you again…" I found a dish soap and sponge and gave the mug a good washing before setting it on a towel nearby and turning to leave. "Thanks for the coff-AH!"

Miyazawa had come up behind me while I was cleaning up after myself, and I nearly found myself nose-to-nose with her. "Do you really have to leave so soon?" she asked. "The library should have what you're looking for, and we haven't talked in so long."

"Th-That's true," I tried to ignore the look in her eyes as I scooted around her; this card was playing too close to my chest. "M-Maybe another time."

"Tomoya-san; please don't go," she begged as she reached out toward me.

"Another time, I promise!" I blurted as I bolted out the door.

What a dangerously sweet girl.

* * *

"Let's see, the library should be-ah, here it is," I said as I stopped in front of the large double-doors that formed the entrance to the library.

I felt like I was forgetting something as I slid the door open and saw… "Oh…crap."

The card with the hair ornaments sat where I remembered meeting her: next to the window, seated on a large cushion, surrounded by books. In spite of my apprehension I couldn't help but smile as the thought occurred to me that if the books were spikes, they would have made an excellent tank trap.

I cautiously greeted her with a 'hello' but, as expected, she didn't answer. So I set about doing what I came to do: look for a bible to try to understand Pastor Ashton better.

"History books…no, it wouldn't be with those…Art?" I snorted. "Definitely not. Let's see…well, maybe it's with the cultuOHMYGOD!"

'Hair-Ornament Girl' had somehow made her way behind me without me hearing her approach. When I yelled she jumped and looked behind her. Finding nothing, she turned back to me. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yeah," I gasped, with my hand on my chest. "You surprised me. Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Apparently not understanding what I was referring to, she angled her head at me like a puzzled puppy. "A-Are you hungry?"

I sighed; truth be told, the only meal I'd had so far that day was the coffee that Miyazawa had given me, so... "Yeah," I said. "A little."

She smiled warmly as she turned and made her way back over to her tank trap and presented a bento.

I sighed as I took a spot across from Ryou's card.

"Let us put our hands together."

I did as I was told.

"Itadakimasu," we said in unison before digging into the lunch she had brought.

"That's a lot of food," I commented. "Do you usually eat this much?" She was shapely, I noticed, but not particularly large.

She shook her head, causing her ornaments to wobble. "No. I brought this much just in case…in case…"

"'In case' what?" I prompted.

"In case you came back."

I did the rough math; I hadn't been back in the library for about a month. "That's amazing," I said in awe. "Are you good with statistics or something? How did you know I would come back today?"

"I am good with statistics, but I did not know…" She suddenly blushed.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked, before it hit me; if she didn't know when I'd be coming back, then she must have… "Have you been bringing this…every day…for the last month?!"

She nodded wordlessly.

"Wow…I had no idea…I-I'm sorry…" I thought of her, sitting in this room day after day, waiting to share her lunch with me, and felt more than a little uncomfortable. "I-I really had no idea you were waiting for me."

"It is not your fault," she said with a small smile.

Very much wanting to change the subject, I looked around the room for something else to talk about. Finding nothing my eyes settled back on her and…something seemed familiar about her, something I'd heard about in rumors…

Then it hit me: "Hey, that's right; you're the 'Genius Girl', aren't you?"

"Huh?" was her only response.

Her reaction was fine, since I was trying to remember… "Ichi…Ichinose-san! That's your name, right?"

"Kotomi."

"Huh?" was my only response.

She pointed to herself. "Kotomi. You spell it with three hiragana: Ko-To-Mi. When you talk to me, please call me Kotomi-chan."

"Kotomi-chan?" What, did she skip elementary school but keep the honorific to make up for it? "Aren't you a little old for '-chan'?"

She simply gave me a puzzled look, so I sighed with a wry smile. Honoring her preference wouldn't hurt me at all, regardless of how silly it might sound. "All right, then," I conceded. Then I pointed to myself. "Tomoya. You spell it with three hiragana: To-Mo-Ya. When you talk to me, please call me 'Tomoya'."

"Tomoya-kun?"

"No, just 'Tomoya' is fine."

"Tomoya-kun."

"I said just 'Tomoya' is fine."

"Tomoya…kun."

"Why the pause?"

"Tomoya-kun?" she repeated, then her eyes suddenly widened.

"No, just Tomo-hey, are you okay?" I asked, suddenly concerned.

"Tomoya-kun," she said as though she had just made a major decision. Considering the way our interactions had gone so far, maybe it was.

* * *

We finished up the meal and I helped her clean up. "Thanks a lot," I said, then snapped my fingers as I remembered… "Wait, I'm here for a reason!"

"Tomoya-kun?" Kotomi asked with yet another puzzled expression.

"Does this library have a bible?"

She blinked at me before making her way to a bookcase and pulling out a book. "This is a 'manga bible'; everything you wanted to know about manga up until…" she checked the cover, "…2003."

"Hey, that's more recent than – no, wait…" I shook my head to clear the distraction. "I'm looking for a Christian bible."

"Oooohhhh…" she breathed, then made her way over to a different bookcase and pulled out a book. "Here it is. This has many wonderful stories. My personal favorite is Noah's Ark."

I smiled as I thought about how Pastor Ashton would react to his bible being referred to as a 'storybook'. "Are you a Christian, Kotomi-chan?"

She simply blinked at me.

"Okay, then," I said as I accepted the book from her and started thumbing through the pages. "Where's the story about the ark guy?"

She gently took the book from me, nearly dropping it when our fingers touched. With shaking hands she turned the pages until she came to a particular section. "H-Here it is," she said, putting the book on the table.

"Thanks," I said as I settled into the chair before it. "I'll be reading this for a while, so go ahead and do whatever it is you do, okay?"

She nodded once before heading back to her tank trap.

I read about a guy named Noah, who had been ordered to build a boat and somehow fit two of each kind of animal in it, in addition to his own family. "That had to stink after a while," I remarked. But why was he supposed to build the thing in the first place? "Ah. Here it is…'man's evil', huh? Does he just mean guys or guys and girls both? I'm not far from the beginning; maybe starting from the top will help it make more sense."

I started reading and, before I knew it, I heard the last bell ring. "What the hell?!" I exclaimed. "Where'd the time go?"

"Tomoya-kun?" I looked over to see Kotomi looking at me with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

"No! I blew off the rest of my classes without meaning to! Stupid book," I growled, giving it a whack.

"T-Tomoya-kun! You should not treat books like that!" Kotomi cried as she scrambled to her feet and snatched the book away.

"S-Sorry," I stuttered as she thoroughly examined the book. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Then do not do it in the first place," she gently scolded.

"Understood," I conceded. "Sorry about that." I glanced from her to the clock several times. "Listen, I have to go; could I borrow that?"

She looked at me with distrust as she held the book to her chest. "Why do you wish to borrow it?"

I rubbed the back of my neck; after my antics, she was owed an explanation. "I'm trying to understand a guy that I met a few days ago. He said he'd help me with my…well, with my problem, but he told me that everything he knows he learned from that book…er, a copy of it, I mean."

"I see." She seemed to ponder my request. "D-Do you have a library card?"

I sighed. "No, I don't. Sorry." I turned toward the door. "Never mind, then."

"Tomoya-kun?"

I stopped and turned in time to see her checking out the book. "How did you do that?" I asked.

She walked up to me and held out the book. "Please take good care of it. It needs to be returned in two weeks."

My jaw dropped as I realized that she must have checked it out under her name. "I-I will," I said. "I promise."


	12. After-School Detention

**Chapter Twelve: After-School Detention**

I took a deep breath as I opened the door to the back of the school. I wasn't looking forward to what I was about to do, but I really felt the need to face the consequences of my actions. For whatever reason, Kyou had decided to lie to protect me, so apologizing was the least I could do.

I saw a figure leaning against one of the tables off in the distance, so I headed that way, figuring it was her.

Sure enough, as I got closer I could see that it was… "Hey, Kyou."

"Hey, Balrog," she honked, then grimaced. "God, my voice sounds so stupid."

"Yeah, about that…" I stepped back for enough room, and then hit the ground in a bow. "I am so sorry for…for…doing that to you! I don't know what came over me, but…I shouldn't have…have hit you."

"Tomoya…" she said in an annoyed honk. "Get up."

I got to my feet, but couldn't look her in the eye.

"Look at me, you idiot," she ordered. After I obeyed she pointed at her bruise. "First of all, you only grazed my nose; you mainly hit me in the cheek. Second, I don't think you hit me with all your strength, did you?"

"Probably not," I admitted. "I was pretty out-of-control, so my aim probably sucked."

"If you had hit me full-strength, I'd probably be in the hospital," she said quietly. "So…I'd like to think that even though you were mad you still held yourself back."

I hadn't considered that. "You…You might be right." I chuckled. "I've been so busy beating myself up over hurting you that I haven't been able to think straight about it." My eyes focused on her bruise. "M-May I t-touch it?"

"No way!" she yelled, crossing her arms over her chest. "We don't have that kind of friendship!"

"Th-That's not what I-"

"I know, I know," she honked as she uncrossed her arms. "Sorry about that; you gave me the perfect chance to tease you…sorry. You want to touch the bruise, right?"

I could only nod.

"Go ahead." She drew her hair over her ear, giving me a better view of the bruise just below her left eye.

I drew a deep breath before reaching out carefully. As my finger got closer to her face, I saw her close her eyes.

The skin over her bruise didn't feel any different than normal skin of course, but I knew that, under the surface, capillaries had been damaged, causing the blood to leak into the tissue around it. I began to tremble as I realized that if I had hit her full-strength I could have damaged her beautiful face... Her beautiful face? Of course she was beautiful; I'd just never really paid much attention to it before.

I rested my shaking hand against her cheek, and I thought I felt her press her face into it, even if just a little. "Kyou, I am so sorry for hurting you…for…for damaging your beauty."

Kyou's eyes opened in surprise. "M-My b-beauty?

I smiled in spite of a trembling lip; I had never felt guilt so deeply before in my life. "If I could take that bruise onto myself, and…well, however else I hurt you…I would."

"T-Tomoya…"

"I'm really sorry, Kyou…please forgive me."

Tears filled her eyes as she rested a trembling hand over mine. "T-Tomoya…st-stop t-talking like that…you'll m-make me…." Without warning, she lunged for me, wrapping her arms around me and holding me tightly. "I forgive you! I forgive you! Just…don't talk any more!" she sobbed.

The expression on my face must have looked kind of stupid as I looked down at the girl crying into my chest, and I felt unsure what to do. As tears pricked my eyes, I did the only thing I could think of; I wrapped my arms around her warm, trembling body as well.

At that moment I realized that something had changed; not just in my relationship with Kyou, but something within me had changed as well.

* * *

"If you tell anyone that you saw me cry, I'll kill you; understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

We shared a chuckle as I walked her home. Both of us felt pretty drained after our exchange, but in spite of that I somehow felt…stronger? More alive?

"Tomoya?"

"Yeah?" I said as I looked to her before realizing that she had come to a stop behind me. I walked back to her. "What's up?"

Her long purple hair swayed as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Please don't tell anyone you saw me cry, okay?"

I blinked. "Didn't I already agree to that?"

"Yeah, but…" She looked up at me with what looked like regret in her eyes. "I'm not going to threaten you anymore. I think…" she sighed, "…I think I've been asking to be hit for a long time because of stuff like that; I'm just glad your aim suc-was off."

I couldn't help but grin. "Thanks. What about Sunohara?"

"One thing at a time," she said with a wry smile, and we both chuckled again.

"You're a strong girl," I told her. "I didn't think you'd forgive me, and I was really surprised when you lied to cover for me."

"Well, like I said; I had it coming." She looked up at me with the happiest smile I think I'd ever seen. "This'll make school interesting from now on, won't it?"

I easily returned her smile. "It'll be an adventure, that's for sure." My smile faded as I reached out to touch her cheek again before catching myself and drawing my hand back. "Oh. Sorry."

She grabbed my retreating hand and rested it against her face, letting my fingers touch her bruise again. "It's okay."

An image of Pastor Ashton flashed in my mind as I gently caressed the damaged skin. "I, uh…hope you heal quickly…and without, um…scars."

She _giggled_ as she laid her hand on mine again. "D-Don't be so melodramatic, T-Tomoya." She removed my trembling hand from her face with her equally trembling one. "B-But thank you."

We were pretty quiet the rest of the way to her place.

* * *

I rubbed at my face as I made my way home. "What a day…"

Thinking back, it had been a long…no, intense day; my search for the religious book had me meeting up with two of Ryou's cards, while apologizing to Kyou had gone places I never knew were possible…

"I'm beat!" I declared to no one in particular.

" _Okazaki-san…"_

I looked around but didn't see any one. "Who's there?" I demanded.

" _I understand now why you wanted to apologize,"_ the voice said…Fuuko? _"It wasn't just for her…it was for you, too, wasn't it?"_

"Yeah," I replied as I continued to look around, trying to find my first-year friend; I figured she was 'there-but-not-there', but I still wanted to try. "I didn't realize it until afterward, but I needed to show her that I regretted my action, but I also needed to clear my conscience. I don't want to be that kind of person, but I have to admit that I'm that person so I can…get rid of him."

" _Okazaki-san is_ _much_ _better than Fuuko; Fuuko wouldn't have apologized so easily. Where did you learn this?"_

I honestly didn't know; part of high school was about the pecking order, and anyone who admitted weakness was treated like a loser. So, I admitted my ignorance: "I don't know, Fuuko. I can't remember anyone teaching me; it just…kinda came to me." I waited, but heard no reply. "Fuuko?"

"I'm here," she said, materializing into view before me and giving me a bit of a scare. "I'm sorry for hiding and spying on you. Fuuko was worried about you."

"W-Worried about me? How come?"

"I was afraid that Kyou-san would bully you again."

I chuckled as I turned for home again, and I heard the tapping of her feet as she hurried to catch up. "Well, I think by now you know that's not going to be a problem anymore…not that it ever really was in the first place."

"Tomo-kun?" I whipped my head in her direction so fast that I thought I heard my neck creak. "I-I meant 'Okazaki-san!" she cried, waving her hands. "F-Fuuko would never treat you badly! I'd never use tarot cards and dump you or threaten you…" she dropped her hands. "I-I just called you 'Strange Guy' b-because I couldn't remember your name."

"Seriously? After all the times I told you?" I asked as I gave her a suspicious eyebrow.

She paled as she started to wring her hands. "It's just that you're so tall and handsome, that…it was scary."

"I scared you?" I said. "It sure didn't seem like it, with the way you kept coming up to talk to me."

"It's not like that!" she cried, bringing us to a stop. "It's just that…" she trailed off as she stared into my eyes and…did she just whimper?

"Fuuko?" I was starting to worry. "You okay?"

"I have to go!" and with that, she abruptly vanished, leaving me by myself on the otherwise empty street.

I looked around to see if I could find her, then shook my head in confusion before heading home.


	13. A Proposition

**Chapter Thirteen: A Proposition**

As I left school the next day, I noticed a cluster of girls at one end of the gate. It was unusual to see a group hanging out like that after school, so curiosity led me over to investigate.

I found Pastor Ashton in the middle of the overly-excited group of girls, sweating and tugging at his collar as the girls asked question after question, and I realized that he was probably having a hard time keeping up with them due to his relatively poor Japanese skills.

"All right, break it up," I ordered, waving my hands and causing the girls to scatter. "Yes, he's American; yes, he lives here; no, I don't know if he's single…" He breathed a sigh of relief as I walked up to him, laughing. "They cornered you, huh?"

"They got me good!" he declared with a chuckle of his own. "All I was doing was standing here waiting for you, and then one girl sees me and…POOF!"

I chuckled along with him, mine more sympathetic. "They've probably never seen an American before – or a white man, for that matter – so that was probably exciting to them."

"I didn't mind the attention that much," he admitted. "It's just that I couldn't understand them because they were all talking at once."

"Yeah, sorry about that," I said as I brushed at his sleeve, more of a formality than anything. "You said you were here to see me?"

"Oh! Yeah," he said, reaching into his pocket to produce a card. "I feel kind of stupid," he admitted as he handed it to me. "I didn't think to get your phone number or give you mine or anything. At least I remembered what school you attend."

"Thanks," I said as I studied the card. "By the way, I answered most of the questions those girls were asking you."

"Much appreciated," he said. "That was a bit, uh…overwhelming."

"No problem." I watched as he took out a handkerchief and started to wipe his face. "Is this all you came for?"

"Yeah, unless there's something I can do for you right now," he offered. "I'm on my way to a home visit, but I don't have to be there for another…" he checked his watch, "…twenty minutes. How are you doing?"

"About as well as a high-schooler who was dumped less than a week ago."

"Ouch," he said sympathetically. "You said she broke up with you after doing a tarot reading, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"And she told you that it's because she thinks that these other girls are better for you than she is, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Have you asked her out yet?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Your Japanese really needs some work; you just asked me if I've asked her on a date yet."

He thought for a moment. "No, I think my Japanese was just fine; you understood me correctly, after all."

I looked at him in disbelief. "Why would I ask her out right after she dumped me?"

He pointed at me. "She chose to believe certain things about herself, but that doesn't mean that you have to believe the same. How do you feel about her?"

My answer came easily. "I miss her."

"A little or a lot?"

I snorted. "What do you think?"

He gave me a disapproving look. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're talking to an adult here, and I would like a straight answer so I don't have to guess what you're thinking or feeling. I can't support you very well if my guesses are wrong."

I bit back a smart-assed response; he did have a point, after all. I didn't like his 'adult' reference, but I believed I understood why he brought it up. "A lot," I answered simply.

"Okay." He put his hand to his chin, resting the elbow on his crossed arm. "So ask her out."

"Why?"

"For the reason you just gave me," he replied. "And before you shout 'hypocrisy', keep in mind that I'm trying to help you with your perspective. I can't live your life for you; I can only coach." He gestured to me. "So…why should you ask her out?"

"Because I miss her," I said, making the connection.

"Exactly," he confirmed. "You don't need any reason other than that. If I understand everything correctly: she likes you, but thinks she's not good enough for you so she broke up with you so you could find 'someone better'."

"That sounds about right," I said.

"So pursue her. Don't stalk her; pursue her. If you want her to be yours, you're going to have to work for it now." He crossed his arms. "And she's probably going to fight you, you know. And not really her; her lack of self-worth will be your opponent."

I thought back to one of my walks home with Ryou. "I've told her a few times that she needs to be more confident."

"And, normally, that's very effective," he acknowledged. "But that only works with people who have some self-esteem to begin with."

"And she doesn't have any, from what I can tell," I grunted.

"Then you might have a tough time ahead of you," Ashton said sympathetically. "I don't envy you."

"Thanks," I snorted. "It's hard enough seeing her in class ever day, and now this…"

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, and I looked up into compassionate eyes. "Okazaki-san, answer me this, and then…sorry, I'll really have to go: Would she be worth the trouble? Would it be worth the time and trouble to help build her up as a person?"

I hadn't thought of it that way. But I really cared about her so… "Yeah. Absolutely."

He gave my shoulder a couple of pats. "Then ask her out. As soon as possible. See you later." And with that he turned, heading down the slope ahead of me.

As his figure disappeared around a corner, a smile spread across my face. "Look out, Ryou…I'm coming for you."

* * *

My confidence lasted right up until I knocked on the door to the Fujibayashi residence. I wanted to ask her out before my nerve quit, but… "Oh, well…" I sighed as I knocked on the door again.

It opened to reveal Kyou, wearing one of her casual outfits. "Hey, Tomoya," she greeted. "What're you doing all the way out here?"

"Is…" my words nearly caught in my throat. "Is your sister home?"

Disappointment flashed across her face, but she quickly forced a smile back in place. "Yeah, she is; want me to go get her?"

"Yes, please."

She stuck up an index finger before ducking back into the house. I could hear her calling her sister several times, and Fujibayashi appeared at the door a couple of minutes later. "Okazaki-kun? What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath to calm my rapidly-firing nerves. "Are you free after school on Saturday?"

Unsurprisingly, her face became a mask of disbelief. "Eh?"

"Are you free after school on Saturday?"

Her face turned beet red as she pressed her hands against her chest. "S-S-Saturday?! N-No! I have m-my n-nursing duties on the w-w-weekends!"

"Oh, right; I forgot." I was so nervous that I must have forgotten. "W-Well, when would you be available?"

"She's free Sunday night!" Kyou interrupted, sticking her head out the doorway. "She only works until four that day!"

"O-Onee-chan!"

"I could meet you where you work," I offered, grabbing onto Kyou's lifeline. "I could take you to dinner. Would that be okay?"

"Wh-Why…"

"Would that be okay?" I repeated, taking a step toward her.

"Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That…" She suddenly slammed the door in my face.

I stood there for several seconds, my heart sinking again. "What a stupid idea," I grumbled as I turned to head home. "I'm gonna have a few words with Pastor Ashton the next time I see-"

Loud voices from the Fujibayashi residence interrupted my rant. It sounded like Kyou was yelling about something, with Ryou yelling back.

I jumped as the front door slammed open and I took a fearful step back as the older twin stomped her way up to me. "Meet her at 4:30 on Sunday," she ordered, handing me a slip of paper. "That's the name of the hospital. And if she tries to run, you tell me. Got it?"

Wide-eyed, I nodded wordlessly.

"Good." She turned and headed back to the house, mumbling as she went. "No sister of mine's gonna go and….*grumble**grumble*…" I could still hear her irritated tone as she entered her home, slamming the door behind her.

I looked at the slip in my hand. "Well…" I said to no one in particular. "Looks like I have a date."


	14. Date on a Limb

**Chapter Fourteen: Date on a Limb**

I tugged nervously at my collar as I waited outside the hospital where Ryou worked. From looking at the clock just inside the lobby I knew that I was a little over ten minutes early.

Even though I had talked with Pastor Ashton for some 'coaching', I was about as nervous as I could be; after all, I didn't want to screw up this date and end up damaging our relationship more than it already was. But, more importantly, I didn't want to give her any more reason to doubt herself. This date was more for her than it was for me or even for us. I wanted her to know how awesome she was.

" _Just remember that you're here to serve,"_ the pastor had told me. _"You don't have to be as extreme about it as I am, but remember that you are there for_ _her_ _."_

I sighed heavily at the memory. "Right," I encouraged myself. "I can do this." My plan was for us to walk around a nearby park until about 5:00, then head over to a restaurant to eat; I couldn't afford a high-class place, of course, but it would at least be a decent family restaurant.

I was straightening my tie for the umpteenth time when… "Okazaki…kun…?"

I turned and was stunned into silence. Even considering that she was just coming from work, it was obvious that she had dressed up for the occasion, with white shoes and a somewhat loose-fitting black dress that covered her from neck to ankles, with sleeves to her wrists. She had swapped out her white ribbon for one that looked more like a dark blue that looked good with her rich purple hair. Man, she was beautiful.

"H-Hi, Ry-Fujibayashi; th-thanks for…well, this." We both stood there, exchanging awkward glances before the cat finally let go of my tongue. "W-Would you walk with me in the park n-nearby?"

She said nothing, but nodded once.

I carefully offered her my arm. "U-Unless you're not comfortable with this," I tried to reassure her.

She stared at my arm for a long time before biting her lip and taking it.

Neither of us said anything as we walked to the park; this gave me some time to rack my anxiety-riddled brain for the sample questions that the pastor had given me. I worked on calming myself down as I remembered what he had told me about talking to her; to remain calm and ready for whatever answer she might give me.

I finally calmed enough to ask her a question as we passed through the gate to the park. "So…how are your nursing studies going?"

"O-Okay," came her hesitant reply.

I took a deep breath; so far, so good. "H-Have you learned anything new recently?"

"I-I drew blood for the first time last Thursday," she replied quietly.

"Hey, good for you!" I exclaimed. "I mean, that sounds like a major step to me, but…is it?"

She nodded, seeming less anxious. "I-It means that I can do blood draws and injections when needed. I didn't mind carrying the bedpans, but it feels good to be able to help the p-patients more…directly?"

"I think I understand," I said, then realized that I could borrow from the Pastor Ashton Conversation Playbook. "It sounds like you really like taking care of other people."

"I do," she said. "It's hard when they leave the hospital and I know I'll never see them again, but it feels good knowing that I'm part of the reason they can go home."

Internally, I pumped my fist; that was the longest response she had given me so far. I thought about her answer to see if I could ask her anything based on it. "How long do your patients usually stay?"

I nearly floated away when she giggled. "I'm a nurse, so they're not my patients, but I think I know what you're asking. The ones I help with are usually there for about two…maybe three weeks."

"I think I could see why you'd get so attached to them," I said. "You're with them during a…time when…they have to rely on others."

"Yeah."

I realized that it sounded a lot like that way that I liked how she used to rely on me…at least before the breakup. "How does taking care of them make you feel?"

"Really good," she replied easily. "To see them come in hurt, and be able to take care of them and help them recover…it's hard to put into words."

"I can imagine," I said with a genuine smile; it was nice hearing her talk about what she liked, with no hesitation or stuttering. But I needed to keep my head. "It sounds like it's been one good time after another for you."

"N-Not always," she said. "One time, these passengers were brought in from a bus wreck. I can't remember how many there were, but there were people of all ages; some old enough to be grandparents, some young enough to be their grandchildren." She paused long enough that it caused me to look over at her; tears brimmed in her eyes as she continued. "I held the h-hand of a grandma-lady…I-I think she was eighty-four years old…"

"You don't have to tell me about this if it's too painful," I said softly. "I'll understand."

"She died while I held her hand," she continued, "and I thought, 'This is somebody's grandma! Somebody's mom!' I was told that the wreck was an accident, but it didn't make any difference to me when it meant that sweet grandma-lady had to die!"

My heart went out to her. "It looks like it was really painful to see her die. I can't imagine what it was like for you. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," she sniffled.

"I can't even imagine what it must have been like for the families," I said. "I mean, they didn't know when their mom or dad or kid was leaving that morning that it would be the last time they'd see them." I blinked; where had that come from? And why was my heart hurting all of a sudden? It wasn't like I knew any of these people. And the feeling…it wasn't like when Ryou dumped me; it was somehow…deeper. "Was this what it was like for Dad when Mom died?"

"Huh?"

Her question snapped me out of it. "Oh…sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you; I just…realized something." I lightly slapped my cheek with my free hand before checking the time. "W-Would you be okay with getting something to eat now? I planned for us to eat about 5:30, but we can keep talking if you need to...or want to."

She brought us to a stop and looked up at me in wonder. "Tom-Okazaki-kun…?" She blinked, seeming to catch herself. "D-Dinner sounds fine. I think I need a change in m-mood, anyway," she said with a giggle.

* * *

I had been to this particular family restaurant before but didn't know if she had, so I waited patiently as she looked at the menu. "Get whatever you want; it's fine."

"But these prices…"

"…are not what you're supposed to be looking at," I countered. "Just go ahead and order what you want."

"But…"

I waited for her to finish her thought, but she was apparently done. "Fujibayashi, what's wrong?"

"I...I want this, but…"

"'But' what?"

"It's too wonderful for someone like me."

She even thought that she wasn't good enough for a menu item?! Fortunately, Pastor Ashton's insight came to the rescue. "You think that you're not good enough to have this…" I looked over at her menu. "…chicken dish?"

She nodded sadly.

I frankly thought that getting all worked up over a meal was ridiculous, but it was obviously important to her, so… "Why do you think that?"

She looked around bashfully before answering. "Because…because…"

I waited patiently for her to finish; I had an opportunity to help her, and I wasn't going to blow it by opening my big mouth and telling her how she should feel.

Finally, she hung her head. "I-I don't know."

I took a deep breath; this had to come out perfectly. "If you can't tell me why you shouldn't have it, would you at least consider that it's okay for you to have it?"

"B-But…"

I leveled my gaze at her. "Look, I'm not going to try to make you order it or anything like that. But I'd really like you to have it because you don't think you're good enough."

From her shifting expressions, I could see that she was fighting something that had a pretty tight grip on her.

"I-I can't do it!" She was almost in tears. "I know it's stupid, but I just can't!"

"It's okay," I said reassuringly. "Like I said, I'm not going to-"

"You order for me!" she blurted before hanging her head low.

I blinked. "You sure?"

She nodded, head still hung.

* * *

Her chopsticks shook wildly as she reached out for the piece of chicken, and I was afraid that one of us was going to end up losing an eye before the meal was done.

"Here, give me those," I said, taking the chopsticks from her and picking up a piece of chicken.

At first it was like trying to feed an uncooperative child, but she eventually opened up her mouth – and her heart, I suspected – and let me feed her until her nerves calmed down. After that, we were able to eat a normal meal.

* * *

"Th-Thank you for dinner," she said as we walked to her place. "I h-had a good time."

"Good!" I exclaimed. "Mission accomplished, then."

She giggled before gazing up at me. "And…I'm…I-I'm sorry for making such a fuss over a meal."

"We all have our own…challenges," I finished, having found the right word. "I won't tell anyone."

"Okazaki-kun…?"

As she cried tears of relief into my chest, Ashton's words came to me once again: _"Some people have some really weird hang-ups; what we have to do is be kind and compassionate, even if – no,_ _especially_ _if – we don't understand."_


	15. A Break in the Action

**Chapter Fifteen: A Break in the Action**

I watched, somewhat amused, as Ashton's smile grew broader and broader as I told him about my 'date' with Ryou. "…and after that, I walked her home. " I finished. "We were both pretty tired by then, so we didn't talk much on the way."

He simply sat there, smile in place, nodding slowly…

The next thing I knew, I was in a headlock. "All right, Okazaki!" he yelled, laughing maniacally. "You got her to open up! Yes! Yes! YES!" Out of the corner of my eye I could see him pumping his fist.

"Hey, leggo!" I protested, though part of me liked being in the headlock for some weird reason. "This is-"

I felt myself released and fixed my collar as he plopped down onto the park bench we were sharing. "Sorry; just got a little worked up," he said.

"Yeah, I get that," I replied. "It seems like you're more excited about it than I was."

"Why wouldn't I?" He waved his hands around with a goofy smile. "We saw some real progress, some real growth!"

"Well yeah…I guess," I said. "What I mean is; why are you so excited? It's not like you get anything out of this."

"Who says I don't?" he countered. "If even one person gets one step closer to seeing her own value…" He threw his hands up, letting them fall back into his lap. "It's all worth it."

"But it's not like you want to date her."

"Oh…I see." He studied me for a minute. "I think I get what you're asking now, but…I'd have to go all Christian on you to answer."

Part of me was curious what he would say, but… "Maybe another time."

"Sure," he replied smoothly. "So…what are your plans now?"

"Well, I'm helping with the set-up for the festival next weekend, so I don't think I'll be…what was the word…? Pursuing!" I snapped my fingers. "I won't be 'pursuing' her next weekend."

"Nothing stopping you from talking to her at school, is there?"

"Just my nerves," I admitted. "Oh, yeah…I wonder if she's still going to help with the set-up, too."

"Huh?"

I licked my lips. "We both said that we would help the Student Council president with the festival setup, but that was before she dumped me." Interesting; it didn't hurt as much to mention the break up. "Now…I'm not so sure if she'll be there. She'd have to get time off from her nursing job, anyway."

"Well, her actions are outside your control," he said. "What you can do, however, is think about what you could say to her or talk to her about if she does decide to show up."

"That's true… It's kinda funny," I chuckled, "thinking about all the stuff that I've worried about that I couldn't control."

"It's about learning where your boundaries are," he remarked. "We all have to go through that at some point. Kids can end up bouncing off each other for years until they figure it out, and even some adults end up having to deal with them."

"Really? I thought grown-ups had it all figured out."

He shook his head. "I've found that if one doesn't commit to maturing, then a so-called 'adult' can be nothing more than a really big toddler."

I scoffed. "You serious?"

He nodded solemnly. "I've had to counsel those types; I think you'd be surprised to hear some of the arguments they'll make. Anyway…" He stretched his arms over his head. "...this has been interesting, but we have some work to do, don't we?"

"Yup."

He steepled his fingers as he studied me. "Listen, Okazaki-san; would it be okay with you if I came to help as well?"

"Huh?"

"I won't be able to be there Sunday morning since I'll be…well, working…but would it be okay?"

"Why're you asking me?"

He spread his hands. "I know how embarrassing it can be for high-schoolers to have someone my age 'hanging out' with them, and I don't want to be a source of embarrassment for you."

I blinked at his consideration. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Thirty-two. Would that be a problem?"

I blinked again; he wasn't as old as he sounded. In any case… "Well, it's not like I've ever really cared what other have thought, but…" Was that really true, though? I shook the thought out of my head. "Why do you want to help, anyway?"

He shrugged. "To learn more about you, for starters; I haven't seen you in a school environment…though I did get a taste of that 'school environment' a few days ago, I suppose…" he said, looking somewhat awkward. "Anyway… I'd also like to see this girl you're trying to win back so I can get a better idea of what she's like. You've given me some pretty good descriptions, but…"

"…it's not the same as seeing her in person; I get it."

"Exactly."

I quirked my mouth to one side as I thought about his request. Truth be told, I was starting to enjoy his company and thought it'd be fun to work with him on something, but… "I'd have to check with Sakagami-er, the student council president…might have to check with the school, too."

"The school should be fine," he said. "I've worked with them in the past, but…" he gnawed on his lip for a moment. "Yeah, I'll check with them, just to be safe; you go ahead and talk with the president and then we'll compare notes." He leaned toward me. "And you'd be okay with this old fart hanging out with you?"

"I don't think you're an 'old fart'," I countered, then gave him a smirk. "You're only almost twice as old as I am, after all."

"Ouch!" He exclaimed with a smile of his own.

"But seriously…I think it'd be pretty cool if you could be there," I said. "Things at school are a little crazy for me right now, so…"

"Do you think I might be a, um…stabilizing presence? Did I say that correctly?"

"I think so," I replied. "You want to help keep me from being overwhelmed?"

"That's it."

"Yeah, I think it'd be good to have you there."

"Thank you, Okazaki-san."

"For what?"

"For giving me a chance," he said. "For…letting me be a positive influence in your life. For letting me serve."

The air suddenly felt really heavy. "You're…welcome?"

"Whoops; I think I went full-Christian for a moment, there," he said. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I replied smoothly. "It's, uh…nice to know someone cares."

"Right." He rubbed his hands together. "So, you're going to talk with your student council president and I'll contact the school for approval…" His eyes become unfocused as he spoke. "When should we meet up again? Friday?"

"I could just call you," I said. "You gave me your phone number, remember?"

"Oh, right; I guess I did." He nodded, apparently to himself. "Yeah, you can call…and leave a message if I can't answer, okay?"

"Sure." I thought about it some more, and… "Actually, why don't we meet here on Friday?"

"Sorry?"

"I changed my mind," I said. "Is that okay?"

"Sure, no problem!" he said, sitting up straight on the bench. "You just surprised me with your change of mind."

We wrapped things up, agreeing to meet again on Friday after school.

* * *

"You want to bring a friend to help?" Sakagami asked as she drew a silver lock over her ear. "I don't have a problem with it. If he's a friend of yours, he must be a good guy, right?"

"Um, sure…" I wasn't sure what I had done to earn her praise, unless…I remembered our 'red string of fate' conversation from Miyazawa's spell and inwardly cringed. "He's a good guy as far as I know."

"Well, the more hands we have, the faster this'll get done," she remarked, crossing her arms. "Tell him he's welcome to come and help, but you might have to get approval from the principal."

"He said he'd take care of that," I told her. "He's worked with the school before."

Her eyebrows raised. "Really? Worked? So he's not a student?"

"No," I said, then decided to spill the beans. "He's the pastor of a local church; I've been talking to him about…stuff…"

"So that explains it," she said.

"What do you mean? Explains what?"

She pointed at me. "You've grown up so quickly lately. It's almost like you're an adult yourself, now."

I scoffed. "I'm no adult…wait, what do you mean?"

"It's nothing in particular; you just give off this 'grown-up' feeling." She shrugged. "I could point to you getting to school on time all of a sudden, or your grades, but…I think the big one would be you apologizing to Kyou the way you did. Really cool."

I felt my face heat up. "I…see. Thanks?"

She gave me an impish smile. "Trying to make up for lost time, eh Okazaki? Trying to get ahead of the rest of us by using a mentor?"

"Mentor?" I hadn't thought of it that way. "You could be right…"

She gently elbowed me in the side, her smirk still in place. "Just don't talk down to the rest of us after you're all grown-up by the time school starts again, okay?"

"S-Sure…"

"Hey, will your gir-Fujibayashi be here on Saturday, too?"

"I dunno," I admitted. "Don't count on her showing up, though."

"I won't," she said, and she rested a hand on my shoulder. "After all, I know that I can count on you, r-right?"

Something about her touch and the look in her eyes…I swallowed hard. "S-Sure."


	16. Work Day

**Chapter Sixteen: Work Day**

Pastor Ashton showed up by the school gate on Saturday, clearly ready to work; he had on denim jeans, a button-up shirt clearly designed for rough activity, and thick boots. In his hands he held a pair of work gloves. "Hopefully I'm not overdoing it," he said awkwardly. "I just wanted to be ready for anything."

"I wouldn't know," I admitted. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Well, let's check in with the boss and get to work." He gestured to the entrance. "Lead the way."

He followed me onto the school grounds, past several groups of students already working on their booths. It seemed kinda weird setting up stuff so soon after tearing them down from the Founder's Festival, but whatever…

It wasn't long before we came across Sakagami. "Okazaki!" she called with a smile. "Glad you made it!" Her smile faltered as she focused behind me. "Is this the guy you were talking about?"

"Yup," I replied. "This is Ashton-san."

"Pastor Jeff Ashton, 'Jeff' being my first name," he said with a smile as he extended a hand. "Call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity. It's nice to meet you."

"You too," she replied while awkwardly shaking his hand.

"So, you're the Student Council president? If you don't mind me saying so, you look quite capable."

"Of what?"

His smile faded and he glanced at me. "Did I use the wrong phrase?"

"No," I said with a slight smile. "Just tell her what you mean."

He looked back to her. "I just mean that you seem capable in general, like you could do whatever you put your mind to."

"Ah…" she said with a nod. "Thank you very much."

"And this is Sakagami Tomoyo," I said, trying to continue the introductions. "She's the Stud-oh, you already know that."

"I appreciate you coming out to help us," she said to the pastor. "Though I wasn't expecting someone so…"

"White?" he offered with a wink.

"Sure," she said with pinked cheeks. Interesting… "The, uh, clubs started setting up about fifteen minutes ago, so find whoever needs help and help them."

"Is Fujibayashi here?" I asked.

She turned back toward us, flipping her hair. "Yeah, but not the one you're expecting."

"Kyou's here?"

"That would be the one you're not expecting," she replied coolly.

I nearly asked where she was before I realized that I had no real need to know. "You wanted me to help with the organization, right?"

"Yeah." She reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper, and began unfolding it. "This is a rough map of the layout of the festival, but it should be enough to give you an idea of where things are supposed to be."

I took the paper and studied it, glancing up on occasion for points of reference. "Okay, I think I get it."

"How can I help?" Ashton asked.

She studied him for a moment. "Well, like I said earlier; find anyone who needs help and help them."

"That's my specialty!" And with that, he headed off toward the nearest club and began speaking with one of the members.

"'That's my specialty'?" she repeated with a smirk as we watched him. "What's that all about?"

I chuckled. "That's just how he is," I replied. "His catch-phrase is 'I live to serve', so if he's serving, then he's happy."

"That's good," she said simply. "Well, let's go."

We spent the next hour or so supervising the placement of the various booths. Unlike the Founder's Festival, the only booths were ones that served food or offered games, so Sakagami and I were pretty busy hammering and lifting and just generally making sure that everything was coming together smoothly.

"Hey, I'm going to be running into town to pick up drinks," Ashton said as he came up to me, sweat glistening on his forehead. "Can I get you anything?"

"You don't need to get anything," Sakagami interrupted. "We have a cooler full of drinks over here. Follow me," she said, and turned and started to walk away.

"Be right back!" he said as he followed after her.

I shook my head as I looked back down at the diagram. It suddenly disappeared, along with everything else, as something covered my eyes.

"Guess who?" came a familiar voice.

I smiled. "Hello, Kyou." My sight was restored, and I looked over my shoulder at my impishly-grinning friend. "Having fun?"

"I am now," she said, her smile intensifying. "What do you think of my nose?" she asked, pointing at it, and I realized that it wasn't covered anymore.

"Looks good," I said. "How does it feel?"

"Same as always," she replied as she wiggled it around with a finger. "It never really hurt; the doctor wanted it covered 'just in case'."

"How about your cheek?"

She probed the still-fading bruise, and for a brief moment I wondered if I could get her to touch other parts of herself simply by naming them – nothing perverted, of course. "It still aches, but only when I mess with it…so I don't mess with it."

"Good idea," I quipped.

"Ah, there you are!" We turned to see Pastor Ashton returning with a can in each hand. As he got closer, he blinked as he noticed Kyou. "Oh, hello miss. I'm Pastor Jeff Ashton, 'Jeff' being my first name," he said as he handed me a can before extending his now-free hand. "Call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity. It's nice to meet you."

"He's an American," I said, trying to explain his greeting style.

"H-Hi," she said as she awkwardly returned the handshake. "I'm Fujibayashi Kyou; you can call me 'Kyou'."

"Pleasure to meet you, Kyou," he amended. "So, how are you involved in this?"

I noticed that Kyou gave me a hesitant glance before answering. "I'm substituting for my sister because she had to work."

"At the hospital, right?" he asked.

She blinked. "How did you know that?"

"I told him," I confessed. "Pastor Ashton is sort of a friend of mine, so he knows…well…what's going on."

Realization crossed her face. "I see…"

Out of the corner of my eye I caught the pastor looking back and forth between Kyou and I. "Something wrong?" I asked him.

"Is she the one you… you know…?"

"I hit my nose on my desk, yeah," Kyou said.

"He knows about that, too," I told her.

"That was very gracious of you to forgive him, as well as…" he seemed uncomfortable with what he wanted to say. "I don't condone lying, but I also know that there can be greater principles involved."

I looked at him with open surprise. "Are you saying that 'white lies' are okay?"

He seemed to have trouble with his answer. "It's…best to not put oneself in a position where lying would be an option, but sometimes there are greater principles involved."

"So if I hadn't lost my temper in the first place, she wouldn't have had to lie for me?"

"That…would be a good example," he managed, though he still looked uncomfortable.

"Wow, Tomoya…" she breathed. "That was…pretty deep."

"Thank Pastor Ashton here," I said, jerking my thumb at him. "I think he's rubbing off on me."

"Hey!" he protested with a smile, his previous discomfort all but gone. He then refocused his attention on my friend. "I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt," he said in his usual gentle voice. "Are you healing up okay?"

"I should be fine in a few days," she replied as she touched her bruise again. "The desk didn't hit me that hard."

"R-Right," he said, his previous discomfort making a return. "Well, I'm going to see who else needs help." He dipped his head in a semblance of a bow. "Nice meeting you, Miss Kyou."

As he stopped to talk to a club member of another booth, I felt Kyou touch my arm. "Hey, do you know where he's from?"

"I told you before; he's from America. Why?" I grinned. "Never seen an American before?"

She nodded, her eyes still on the pastor. "Ryou took care of one a while ago. I think she said he was one of their soldiers or something like that. But she told me his skin was really dark."

"Apparently they have a few colors over there," I remarked.

"I guess," she replied, her gaze still locked. "He looks like a walking sheet of paper."

I barked a laugh. "He's pretty pale, isn't he?"

"Yeah…but he's kinda handsome…" She blinked, snapping out of her reverie. "…f-for not being Japanese, I mean. Of course, he can't compare to you," she said, patting my arm. "L-Let's get back to work!"

"Right."

The rest of the afternoon went pretty smoothly, and we ended up getting more done than Sakagami had expected.

"You two were really helpful," she said to Ashton and I as we were getting ready to leave. "Thanks a lot. Listen, are you going to be able to make it tomorrow? I think we'll be done in no time if you guys are here to help."

"I'll be here in the morning," I said. "But he…"

"I have to conduct a service in the morning," the pastor explained. "I'll be done about 11:00, so I'll head on over as soon as I can after that."

"If you're going to be busy, then you don't have to come," Sakagami offered. "You've already helped a lot."

"No, I'll be here," he promised. "I'll just be a little late."

She nodded. "Okay. Thank you; I appreciate it."

"Hey, I live to serve." After giving us a bow, he headed off toward the main gates.

I smirked as her eyes tracked him as he left. "So white, huh?"

"I've never seen skin color like that before," she replied absently. "Wow…"

I chuckled as I laid a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention. "See you tomorrow, Sakagami."

"Tomoyo."

"Huh? No, my name's 'Tomoya'," I said, emphasizing the 'ya'.

"I know what your name is," she grunted. "I'm telling you to call me by my first name."

"Oh! Sorry…right…" I rubbed the back of my neck. "C-Call me 'Tomoya' then."

"S-Sure."

I removed my hand from her shoulder to lift it in greeting as I turned to leave. "See you tomorrow…Tomoyo."

"I'll be waiting," she said in an odd tone and an equally odd expression.

Her expression worried me all the way home, if only a little.


	17. Final Preparations

**Chapter Seventeen: Final Preparations**

I rotated my shoulder as I passed through the gates to the school. I had slept well during the night, but was still stiff and achy because of all the work I had done the previous day.

"You look pretty sore, Tomoya," Tomoyo said when I found her.

"What can I say?" I grunted as I squeezed a bicep. "All that hammering hammered me."

She chuckled as she pulled out the map. "Well, you ready for another day of hammering?"

"Nope," I replied honestly. "Let's do this."

Fortunately, we had managed the bulk of the work the previous day, setting up booths and tables, so all we really had left was setting up chairs and building the occasional game.

I was hammering together the platform for a ring-toss game when Kyou found me. "Hey, Tomoya; where's your friend?"

"Huh?" I straightened up to give her my undivided attention. "You mean the pastor?"

"Yup!" she chirped, her nod matching her words.

"At his church right now," I replied. "He has a service until about 11:00. Didn't I tell you about…no, that was Tomoyo..." I lightly bopped myself in the head. "Sorry, I got my people confused."

"'Tomoyo', eh?" she said with a sly smile. "When did you two get so close?"

"Yesterday," I replied. "But it's not what you seem to think. I think she just trusts me more than before because I helped her yesterday."

"Suuuuure," she said teasingly. "You better watch yourself, or I'll tell Ryou that you're hitting on other girls."

I grunted as a sharp pain stabbed at my heart, and one hand moved on its own to cover it as the other reached for something to hold me up.

"T-Tomoya?" I could vaguely hear her say my name. "A-Are you okay?"

I shook my head; about the only thing I could do.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to…"

I nodded, holding up a hand as the pain subsided. "S-Some things don't go away so easily."

"Still a touchy subject… I'm sorry, Tomoya," she said softly, and I could feel her rubbing my back, which helped me feel better.

A few minutes later I was back to working on the platform, this time with Kyou's help.

"How's this?" she asked as she help up one of the corners of the platform.

"Looks good," I said with one eye closed to gauge the height. "Hold it just like that…"

"Good morning, Miss Kyou!" I heard a familiar voice call out, bringing a smile to my face. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah…Yeah!" I heard her reply as the board wobbled a bit.

"Have you seen Okazaki-san?"

"I'm down here," I answered. I figured he wouldn't be able to see me since I was lying down behind the wall that would be between the player and the bottles. "I'm laying down on the job."

I heard his laughter get closer. "So you are, I see. I swear, kids these days…" he said in mock annoyance.

I finished hammering the nails in and slid back slowly in case he was behind me before getting to my feet. "Whew!" I said, wiping the sweat off my brow. "It's hot down there!"

"Then you might like this," Ashton said, holding out a sweating can of tea.

"I might, thanks," I replied as I took the can and held it against my forehead; the coolness felt so good. "You done with church for today?"

"Yup!" he beamed. "Barring any emergencies, you and Sakagami-san have me for the rest of the day."

"Hey, what about me?" Kyou protested with her fists on her hips.

"You can have me too, Miss Kyou," he said with a dramatic bow.

I blinked when her hand went to her chest. "G-Good."

"Okazaki-san?"

I turned to find Furukawa behind me, with a pleading look in her eyes; with her appeared to be the entire Theater Club. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"We-We're here to practice, and I was hoping you'd…you'd…" she trailed off, casting her gaze to the ground.

"Got it," I said. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll be right there."

She said nothing, but nodded before herding her group in the direction of the performance area.

I turned back to the pastor as I wiped my face with a towel. "Sorry to dump this on you at the last minute, but could you help Kyou work on this until I get back? She knows what to do, and I made a promise to Furukawa to practice with her club today."

"No problem," he said, waving me off. "Do your best, Okazaki-san; see you when you get back."

I switched my gaze to Kyou. "You okay with this? I should've asked you first, so if you're not okay with this, then I'll just come back to it later."

"NO!" she blurted, causing me to jump. "I mean, i-it's fine."

Something about the way her gaze darted between the pastor and myself had me a little worried, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to do anything about it until later. "Oooooookay…"

* * *

As I made my way over to the performance area, I shook my arms to work out any stress that I might've had as I went over my lines in my head.

"Okazaki-san!" Furukawa chirped when she saw me. "I'm glad that you could make it!"

I spread my arms wide. "I said I'd be here, and here I am."

"Y-Yeah…" She looked from one of my arms to the other. "G-Good…"

I let my arms drop as I walked up to the group. "So, let's get started, then."

Our rehearsal went well overall, but I noticed that my delivery was…lacking.

"Okazaki-senpai, you suck again," Ichika remarked.

"I know, I know," I groaned. "Sorry, I haven't been quite right for a while."

"Maybe do what you did the last time?" Narita suggested.

That pain lanced through my chest again, nearly dropping me to my knees.

"Okazaki-san!" I heard Furukawa call through the cries of the girls. "Are you all right? Should we call an ambulance?!"

Like earlier, I held up a hand. "No, I'm fine." I took a deep breath. "I don't think I'll be able to do that this time, but…" I had to think of something; they were counting on me.

"Do you need to lay down?" Raika said as she knelt on the ground and patted her lap. "Y-You can use my lap for a p-pillow if you need to."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Ichika complained. "I want to give him a lap pillow!"

"Girls, please calm down!" the Theater Club president said while clapping her hands. "I asked him to help, so if he needs a lap pillow, then…then it's only right that I provide it!" she finished, her face nearly scarlet.

"I don't need to lay down," I told the group. Good grief. "I have an idea, so let's just try that, okay?"

"O-Okay," Furukawa said, then moved to stand before me. "Wh-Whenever you're ready, Okazaki-san," she said with her eyes closed and her fists balled before her.

I looked at her antics and shook my head with a smile. Then I closed my eyes as well, picturing Ryou in her black dress and blue ribbon, and let the love I felt for her overwhelm me. "You are the delicate flower that shines in the darkest night. Your loveliness is greater than that of the angels. My heart swells at the sound of your voice, my dearest, and know that I wish to be forever yours."

"M-My p-prince…" was all she could get out before she crumpled to the ground.

"Senpai!" the girls cried as we gathered around her.

I lifted her up, resting her head and shoulders on my leg as I knelt next to her. "Furukawa?" I checked her head for injuries, but didn't find any. "Furukawa?!"

Her eyes fluttered open. "T-Tomoya…?" she reached out and touched my cheek. "S-Sorry…I must have fainted."

"Are you okay?"

She nodded with a giggle. "I'm so embarrassed," she admitted. "You did such a good job delivering your line that…that it felt like you were saying it to me."

I just smiled down at her; I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was imagining saying the lines to another girl. "I'm…glad you liked it."

"I sure did!" a voice piped up from the crowd. "I want you to read that to me next!"

"Me too!"

"Girls," Furukawa groaned as she sat up. "L-Let's get back to work."

The club was a little harder to control after that, but we still managed to run through the play several times.

* * *

I returned to the ring-toss booth to find it complete. "How about that…"

"Tomoya!" I looked over to find Kyou and Pastor Ashton sitting on a couple of chairs on the other side of the booth, under that shade of a tree. "It's ready!"

"I can see that," I said with a smile. "Looks great!"

"Miss Kyou here is a good supervisor," he said with a smile of his own.

"I-I am a class rep, after all," she said, flipping her hair.

I walked up to the two of them. "Yup, she's good at telling people what to do."

"Hey!" She gave me a mock glare with her fists on her hips. "Just 'cause it's true doesn't mean you have to tell everyone! You'll give me a bad reputation!"

I was about to follow up with another retort, but it was interrupted by Pastor Ashton's laughter. "You two are so funny!" he said, then turned to my friend. "But seriously, Miss Kyou; I think we worked well together."

"I-I think so, t-too," she stuttered.

"Thank you for putting up with my shortcomings," he added, inclining his head in an approximation of a bow.

"N-No problem. I hope I didn't g-get in your way."

"Not at all! Like I said, I thought we worked well together. Being able to work well with others is important in ministry."

"Ministry?" she repeated. "Oh…right."

"Well," I said, wanting to save her any potential embarrassment, "if this is done, then we should check in with Tomoyo and see if there's anything else that needs done."

* * *

"Nope, we're about as ready as we're going to be," the student council president said as she pushed a lock over her ear. "Thanks to you two monsters," she said, pointing at Ashton and myself, "we were able to get most of it done yesterday, like I said."

"Monsters…" Ashton repeated with a chuckle. Then he sniffed his shirt. "Eh, maybe there's something to that."

"So there's no school tomorrow since it's the first day of summer break, but the festival opens at 8:00 on Tuesday," Tomoyo announced. "Pastor Ashton, the festival is for everyone, so you're more than welcome to come, just in case you didn't know."

"I didn't," he replied. "Thanks for telling me."

As we headed toward the gate, Kyou stopped me with a touch to my arm. "Hey Tomoya; could I talk to you for a minute?"

After asking Ashton to wait, I let Kyou pull me a short distance away, just enough for some privacy. "What's up?" I asked.

She glanced over at the pastor before speaking. "W-Will he be coming to the festival?"

"I don't know," I replied. "Why? Does he bother you or something?"

"N-No…" She seemed uncomfortable about something. "I…I just want to know if he'll be coming."

I blinked. "Why don't you ask him yourself? He's right over there."

Her eyes widened. "I-I can't!" she whispered through clenched teeth.

"Why not?"

She opened and closed her mouth several times, but no sounds came out.

"Look," I said, "He'll probably be there just 'cause he likes people, but if you're afraid of him or something, I'll be coming so I'll keep him away from you. Will that work?"

She visibly swallowed several times, but still said nothing.

"Well, unless you tell me otherwise, that's what I'll go with," I said lifting a hand as I headed toward Ashton, who still waited for me. "See you later."


	18. Festivities

**Chapter Eighteen: Festivities**

I smiled as a family walked by before checking my watch for the umpteenth time as I stood next to the gates to the school. Pastor Ashton had told me that he planned to attend the summer festival on Tuesday due to some things he had to do on Wednesday. He had also told me that he planned to be there around noon, so I made sure to be there early. I was to be Kyou's crowd control for the day, keeping him away from her as much as possible. I had no idea why she seemed so anxious around him, but she was a friend so I would help her as much as I could.

"Morning, Okazaki-san!" he greeted, pulling me from my musings. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

I smiled at his enthusiasm. Looking up at the sky, it certainly was nice weather; a mostly-blue sky with a few light puffy clouds to keep the sun company. "Yeah, the Student Council sure picked a good time for this."

He stopped in front of me, rubbing his hands. "Well, shall we go, then?"

The place was crowded, which wasn't really surprising; every time the school held a festival it seemed like half of Japan would show up. I supposed that it wasn't too surprising, considering how well-known Hikarizaka was.

"So," he said, rubbing his hands together again as we stopped just inside the gate and surveyed the booths. "Where should we go first?"

"I dunno," I replied. "I'm thinking of you as the guest, so I figured that I'd take you where you want to go."

"Tour guide, eh?" he said, then chuckled. "Well, considering that I helped put together about half of this, I might not need one."

"Yeah, that's true," I said with a chuckle of my own. "Well…since it's noon…what do you want to eat?"

"A little of everything until I'm full!" he declared.

We tried the takoyaki, which was really good. Then we stopped at a booth that sold onigiri and ended up there quite a while because they had quite a variety of fillings.

"I was serious when I said that I wanted a little of everything," he said with a smile and a seaweed-filled ball in hand.

He was stuffing a chicken-filled ball in his mouth when I heard a voice call out: "Tomoya!"

I turned to see Tomoyo heading toward us with the biggest smile I'd ever seen. "Hey Tomoyo," I greeted with a smile and a raised hand. "Having fun?"

"Well, I'm not supposed to be, but…" she abruptly turned toward my festival companion. "Good afternoon, Pastor. Could I borrow Tomoya for a while?"

"What? Fe getf to caw ooo 'Tomoya'?" he said with fake annoyance and a mouthful of onigiri. "Oh…forry." He said before quickly swallowing. "Sorry about that; forgot my manners. I'll be here for a while, so you could go with her for a while if you wanted. In fact…" he said, giving me a mysterious smile, "why don't you two go have fun? It's not like I'm a stranger here; I've already seen three families that attend my church."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Get out of here," he ordered, waving me off.

"I will be bringing him back soon," Tomoyo said. "I'm responsible for the smooth operation of the festival, after all. Which reminds me," she said as she dragged me off, "you need to meet with the Theater Club at 1:00, don't you?"

Crap, I had almost forgotten. Fortunately, the costumes were in the clubroom so I didn't have to bring anything. "Yeah, you're right," I said as I checked my watch. "That doesn't give us a lot of time."

"Should be enough for you to treat me to ice cream," she said with another smile, this one playful.

"Ice cream?! How about you eat lunch, first?"

"Ah, so you're offering to buy me lunch, too?" she asked excitedly.

I blinked at her several times. "Ice cream it is, then!"

We got our ice creams and found a tree to lean against while we ate. "How's Student Council stuff going?" I asked.

"It's going okay," she replied before taking another lick at her cone. "I'll be giving a speech about the sakura next week."

"The sakura? Why?"

"You know how they're talking about cutting them down for some city business or whatever?"

I'd heard something about that and told her as much.

"Well, the trees have a special…meaning…to me, so I'm fighting to save them."

"Why are they special to you?"

"Tomoya, we don't know each other well enough yet for me to tell you that."

I mulled this over. "Okay, fair enough. Sorry for prying."

"I'm not offended," she replied smoothly. "Thanks for caring, though." She crumpled up the paper from her cone. "Well, that does it for my break."

"Pretty short break," I commented dryly.

"Hey, I'm just glad to get one at all," she countered, pushing her hair over her ear. "And…I-I'm glad that I got to spend it with you."

I smiled softly at her words. "Thanks, Tomoyo…that's…really nice of you to say."

She stared at me for several seconds before seeming to catch herself. "W-Well, we'd better find the pastor…d-don't want him getting himself in trouble."

"The pastor!" My eyes nearly bugged out; I had forgotten I was supposed to stay with him! "Yeah, we'd better hurry back!" Not only had I forgotten to stay with him, I didn't know what I was going to do if the twins showed up to the Theater Club's performance with him there.

* * *

"That wasn't very long," Ashton remarked as we returned. He was still at the onigiri booth, stuffing himself with the different flavors. "Hey Okazaki, you should try this one; it's really good!"

I chuckled as I took the ball from him and ate it; like he said, it was really good. "Yeah, not bad. Listen, I have to meet up with the Theater Club at 1:00."

"Ah, that's right; you're performing with them, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I'm a lousy tour guide today, huh?"

"Don't worry about it," he replied smoothly. "It sounds like you've got a lot on your plate. In any case, I'll stick with you so you can keep track of me more easily, okay?"

"Keep…track…?" Did he somehow know what I was doing?

"Calm down Okazaki, I'm just kidding," he said with a chuckle. "I will stick with you, though; I'd like to see your performance."

We headed over to the old building where I told him what would be going on: I would rehearse with the club for forty-five minutes, then we would head out for the actual performance. We didn't have a stage or anything; just a section of the courtyard set aside for us. I couldn't say anything to him about the situation with Kyou, of course, so the only thing I could do was leave it to fate. It didn't stop me from trying to ask his god to keep him out of trouble, though, as I headed into the school and up to the clubroom; any help would be better than none.

"Okazaki-san!" Furukawa greeted; I liked how she always greeted as though she hadn't seen me in a long time. "Thank you for coming!"

"Of course I'd come," I said. "I made a promise."

"T-True," she said, knotting her fingers repeatedly. "I-I-I'm sorry…"

"Nagisa-senpai has a crush on you…" Narita said in a singsong tone.

"N-NARITA-SAN!" Furukawa cried as the other girls giggled. "D-Don't say things like that!"

"Come on girls, leave her alone," I said. "We're supposed to be rehearsing, right? So let's get rehearsing!"

It took several tries for Furukawa to stop blowing her lines until she calmed down enough to deliver them smoothly.

* * *

I fought the urge to tug on my collar as we stood before the huge and still-increasing number of people who had filled up the provided chairs, leaving many to crowd around in a large semicircle. On the positive side, this was good visibility for the Club; on the other hand, my nerves were rapidly wearing down from the sheer size of our audience.

"That's a…lot of people," Furukawa breathed as she took in the view.

"Y-Yeah," Reiko agreed.

"We'll be fine," I said encouragingly. "Just focus on your part and pretend that the audience isn't there."

"Easy for you to say," Ichika quipped.

"No, it isn't," I confessed. "But it's what I'm going to do to help make this successful."

"Okazaki-san's right!" Furukawa said, clenching her fists. "We can do this!"

Finally the time came, and we all took out positions. The play went well, and it eventually came time for me to play my part.

I recalled the words, but I could still feel that dead feeling inside me. I knew it would affect my delivery, so I scanned the crowd for the pastor; if I could see my mentor, then I could have the confidence to finish.

As I looked my eyes settled on a pair of purple-haired girls, each with a white ribbon in her hair. "Ryou…" I breathed.

I could have been wrong, but it seemed like our eyes locked for a moment and, suddenly, I felt warmth spread throughout my body, and my mind became as clear as her blue eyes…

I kept that feeling as I turned to a trembling Furukawa and… "You are the delicate flower…"


	19. A Shocking Revelation

**Chapter Nineteen: A Shocking Revelation**

"Well done, Okazaki!" Pastor Ashton exclaimed as he clapped me on my good shoulder. "I've never acted before, but it sure seemed like you were feeling those lines! Hey, I'll be right back; I'm going to get drinks for us." And before I could say a word, he was threading his way through the crowd back to the booths.

I sighed heavily as I fanned myself with the hat from my costume; the thing was sweltering. I had planned to head back to change, but didn't want to be rude by being gone when he returned. So I stayed right where I was, sweltering and trying to accept praise from the people who had watched the play.

"Tomoya!" I heard a happy cry and looked up to see Kyou rushing up to me, dragging her sister with her. "You were awesome up there!"

"I wasn't 'up' anywhere, but thanks," I said, then leveled my gaze at the younger twin. "Hello, Fujibayashi."

"H-Hi," she greeted in her traditional meek manner. "Y-You did a r-really good job w-with your performance."

"Thanks," I said. I watched her for another moment before I decided to risk it: "I was thinking of you when I said my lines, you know."

"Eh? Wh-Why?" she stammered. "I-I'm nobody special…"

To my surprise, Kyou watched our exchange but said nothing.

"I disagree, but I understand you feel that way." I sighed. "I just wish…" I trailed off as I saw Kyou's eyes widen, and my stomach slithered to my shoes as I realized what she must have been reacting to.

"Here you go, Okazaki-san!" Pastor Ashton joined our group and handed me a cold can. "Miss Kyou, it's good to see you again. And this must be your sister?"

Kyou nodded dumbly as she stared up into his face, and I wondered how many swords I'd have to fall on to get her out of this one.

Apparently realizing that her 'Onee-chan' wasn't going to take the lead, Ryou stepped forward and bowed politely. "I'm Fujibayashi Ryou; it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you as well," he said, returning her bow. "My name is Jeff Ashton; call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity. I'm a pastor at a local…well, I guess the only church."

She giggled; man, I missed that sound. "We don't have many churches, that's true. If you don't mind me asking; what religion are you?"

"Christian, non-denominational."

"Interesting…" she put her hand to her mouth as she thought. "What do you think of tarot cards?"

He blinked. "Well! I wasn't expecting a theological discussion so soon!" He gave me a sideways glance as though looking for my approval, to which I simply shrugged. "How about we let Okazaki-san get changed before he melts into his costume, and we can get some ice cream and sit in the shade?"

"Sounds good to me," Ryou agreed with a cute smile that I had to fight to not get sucked into. "Onee-chan?"

For some reason, Kyou looked like she wanted to run. Why was she so afraid of the pastor? Then it hit me; maybe she'd been hurt by a priest in the past or something. Since she wouldn't tell me what her specific problem was, though, I really had no arguments that I could use to defend her.

"O-Okay…" she finally managed to say.

He clapped me on the shoulder; my good one, fortunately. "We'll wait out here while you get changed and then we'll head over, okay?"

"Sounds good," I agreed while glancing repeatedly at Kyou.

I changed as quickly as I could while desperately trying to figure out a way to get my friend away from…well, my other friend.

* * *

"This looks like a nice place," the pastor said as he leaned back against a huge tree. "Are all of you okay with this?"

"Fine with me," I replied.

"Looks comfy," Ryou added.

As expected, Kyou remained silent, looking at the ground.

Ashton waved me over. "I'm going to see if Miss Kyou will come with me," he said in a low tone.

"How come?" I asked in an equally quiet voice.

"Two reasons," he replied. "One: I'd like to give you and your girl time to talk without us around, and Two..." He sighed heavily. "I get the distinct impression that Miss Kyou doesn't like me for some reason, and I'd like the chance to work things out with her. I know I don't have to be buddy-buddy with everyone, but I'd at least like to know why she doesn't like me."

"It does seem weird," I agreed. "You two seemed to get along fine on Saturday and Sunday."

"Yeah…"

"All right," I conceded. "And thanks."

He smiled with a wink before heading toward the girls. "Miss Kyou, would you be willing to come with me to get the ice cream? I don't think I'd be able to carry all of them myself."

She stared up at him with terrified eyes before looking to the ground again.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou asked worriedly.

I moved close enough to whisper to her. "I don't know what's going on with her. She and the pastor worked together just fine on Saturday and Sunday."

She studied her sister for another moment, then a small smile crossed her face. "Onee-chan, would you please go help Pastor Ashton?"

Kyou snapped her head up to her sister's face with what looked like an expression of betrayal. "Ry-Ryou…" She hung her head again in apparent defeat. "O…Okay…"

"Much appreciated," he said before turning to head toward the ice cream booth with Kyou following him, trembling all the way.

"Any ideas?" I asked, glad to be able to speak in a normal tone again. "It seems like she's afraid of him, so I promised to keep him away from her but, as you can see, I've already blown it."

She giggled softly "I…d-do have an idea, but I'm not sure if I'm right. Maybe..." she reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. I tensed up as I saw the familiar emblem of her tarot cards; she must have noticed, because she quickly pushed them back into her bag. "M-Maybe later…"

We sat under the tree in awkward silence; even though it was a mostly-clear day, the air felt really heavy.

"I had a good time in the p-park and at the r-restaurant," she offered. "Th-Thank you for inviting me."

"Thank you for accepting," I replied before remembering that she'd been strong-armed into it by her sister. "I-I had fun, too."

"Th-That's good."

"Yeah…"

Pastor Ashton returned a few minutes later with a cone in each hand and Kyou in tow. "Here you go, Miss Ryou," he said as he handed her a cone. "Miss Kyou has yours, Okazaki-san."

I gave her an apologetic look as she handed me my cone, but she didn't react the way I thought she would; she actually looked kind of happy. Weird…

Ashton plopped down on to the grass, then leaned back to rest on an elbow as he ate. "It's nice seeing the fruit of one's labor, right Okazaki-san?"

"Call me 'Tomoya'," I replied. "And yeah, it does feel good."

"You can look at all those people having a good time and say 'I helped them have that good time'."

I grunted in agreement as we watched the crowd milling around the main festival area.

"How about you, Miss Kyou?"

It was as though Kyou had borrowed her sister's personality for this conversation. "It…does feel good."

I looked at her with sympathy, wishing that I knew what was going on so I could help fix it if possible.

"What did you enjoy most about the construction?" he asked, clearly trying to draw her out of the shell she'd somehow created.

She looked at him for several seconds before a tear escaped her eye. Then, she hurried to her feet and ran, away from us and away from the festival.

"Onee-chan!" Ryou hurried to her feet and chased after her, catching up with her a short distance away. Ice cream cones fell to the ground as the younger twin grabbed the older in a tight embrace.

Anger swelled within me and I got to my feet. "Pastor Ashton: Just what in the hell did you do to her?"

He quickly rose to a seated position. "Do to her? I don't understand."

"You have to have some idea why she's afraid of you!" I said, advancing on him.

He got to his feet in a hurry. "Tomoya-san, I didn't do anything to her! Not that I know of, at least."

"Not that you know of?"

"I'm still learning about your culture so I might have missed some things, but I can't think of anything I could have done that would scare her like this."

I got close enough and took hold of his collar. "And how do I know you're not lying to me?!"

He straightened and looked me square in the eye. "May the God of Heaven punish me severely if anything I have said is a lie."

My grip relaxed, seemingly on its own. "Oh…right…."

"Okazaki-kun!" I stepped away from Pastor Ashton as the twins ran up to us. "What are you doing?"

More surprising was Kyou's reaction; she threw herself between the pastor and I, spreading her arms as though to protect him from me. "No! Leave him alone!"

I could have sworn I heard a CLUNK as my jaw hit the ground. "K-Kyou?"

"D-Don't you ever do that again!" she declared.

My hand found my forehead; she must have thought that I was going to hit him the way I did her. "Kyou, I wasn't going to hit him…I-I just wanted some answers."

At that point, though, she wasn't paying attention to me as she whirled to face the pastor. "A-Are you all right?" she asked with her hands on his chest.

"I…I'm fine…" he replied in a bewildered expression and tone. "He was just upset, and thought I knew more than I do."

"C-Come on," she ordered, taking him by the hand. "L-Let's go play some games."

I blinked stupidly several times as I watched the two of them head back toward the booths. "Wh-What the hell just happened?" I turned to my ex-girlfriend. "What the hell's going on?"

She giggled as she moved to stand next to me to watch them as well. "I th-think…Onee-chan's…in love."


	20. Getting Acquainted

**Chapter Twenty: Getting Acquainted**

Fortunately, teardown went more smoothly than the setup, though the twins did show up about halfway through.

"Tomoya!"

I winced before smiling at her usual loud greeting. "Hey Kyou, hey Fujibayashi."

"H-Hello Okazaki-kun," Ryou greeted, and I noticed that she was carrying a small cooler. "Is your friend here?"

"Pastor Ashton?"

"Yeah," Kyou replied. "Is he here?"

"Yes, he is!" the man in question replied as he popped up from under the ring-toss platform. "Oh! Hello, ladies; beautiful day, isn't it?"

"It certainly is," Ryou replied. "Onee-chan thought you would be working, so she-"

"Ry-Ryou!" Kyou exclaimed, waving her hands. "W-We knew that you two would be working hard, so we brought cold d-drinks for you."

"Well, that's very kind of you! Thank you very much…" he grunted as he pulled himself from under the platform; I was surprised at how composed he was, considering how Tuesday had gone. "I was just thinking that I could use a cold drink about now."

Kyou pulled a tea from the cooler and, as she took it over to the pastor, Ryou approached me as she reached into the cooler herself. "H-Here you go, Okazaki-kun…" Her hand shook as she held out the can. "I-I b-brought one for you."

"Thank you," I said as I took the can. "Thank you for thinking of me."

"Y-You're welcome," she said, her face reddening from more than just the sun, I was sure. "I-It would be b-bad if you g-got sick from the heat."

"Yeah," I said as I simply gazed at her with a smile. My smile broadened as she ducked her head meekly, turned, and headed over toward her sister.

As my eyes followed her I noticed that the pastor was having a hard time drinking his tea due to Kyou being so close to him. "Kyou, give him a little space, would you?"

"Mind your own business!" she snapped as she took a step away from him.

"So," he asked after he finished his first sip of tea, "what are everyone's plans for the summer?"

"I'm planning on studying as much as I can," I replied. "Got some catching up to do."

"Very nice," he said.

"Good for you, Okazaki-kun," Ryou added.

"What about you, Miss Ryou?" he asked. "Working at the hospital?"

"As much as I can," she replied. "I want to get as much experience as I can before school starts."

"Sounds very responsible of you," the pastor remarked. "Miss Kyou?"

"I-I'll be working on my applications for school next year," she replied.

He blinked, "Really? What do you want to go to school for? I mean, what do you want to study toward?"

"I-I want to be a kindergarten teacher."

He nodded approvingly. "Investing in the future of your country; very nice."

"How about you, Pastor?" I asked. "I know you're not taking a break from school or anything, but…"

His grin was contagious. "Well, I'll mainly be doing the usual home visits during the week, but in August…" He paused for some reason; dramatic effect, I supposed. "…we'll be having a vacation bible school for two weeks at the church."

"What's that?" Ryou asked.

He chuckled self-consciously. "And after all that build-up…oh, well… It's basically a special 'school' where parents can bring their kids to learn about God. We sing songs, have snacks, play games and, most importantly…"

"…they learn about God," I finished with a wry smile.

"That's true, of course," he said with another chuckle, "but what I was going to say was that it gives us the chance to show His love to others; to serve."

"That sounds wonderful," Ryou said.

"Isn't it?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I love seeing the looks on the kids' faces when they're playing. I know that they're not going to understand all of this 'God stuff', but if we can be an example-"

"Can I help?" Kyou blurted.

He blinked, apparently surprised by the interruption. "W-Well…sure!" he replied. "I'm sorry; I didn't expect any of you to be interested. This is church stuff, after all."

"I d-don't mind," Kyou said as she looked up at him. "Y-You'll be working with kids, right? I'll be studying to work with kids, right? I-I want to help."

Ryou and I exchanged glances. I didn't know what she was thinking, but I was worried that Kyou didn't know what she was getting herself into. To like a guy was one thing, but this… "Kyou, are you sure about this? I mean, this is a church we're talking about. You'd probably have to help with Christian-type stuff…wouldn't she?" I directed that last bit to Pastor Ashton, who nodded.

"I'm here to spread the Good News, and the bible school is a means to do that," he acknowledged. "Miss Kyou, I'll understand if you want to back out; I have plenty of members responsible for this already, and-"

"I want to help," she declared.

"O-Onee-chan…"

"You'd better talk to your folks about this, first," I suggested. I had no idea what her parents would think of her helping out a temple, let alone a church, but as I far as I was concerned it was her choice.

"I will," she replied without hesitation.

* * *

In spite of the interruption we worked quickly enough that we had everything broken down by noon. We went to check in with the Student Council president.

"Get out of here," she ordered. "You two monsters have done enough."

"M-Monsters…" Ryou giggled.

The pastor looked at me with a concerned expression. "Did we do something wrong?"

"No," I replied with a chuckle; apparently he had simply misunderstood. "She's just telling us that we were a big help and that we don't have to help anymore." I looked to her. "You have people for putting stuff away, is that it?"

"That's right," she said, pushing a lock of hair over her ear. "You two more than made up for the missing council members, but now that they're all back we can take it from here."

"So we're fine," I told him. "Honestly, I think we'd be in their way at this point."

"Yeah. You would be," Tomoyo said bluntly. "But thanks for your help, Pastor…you too, Tomoya."

"I was glad to help, Sakagami-san," he replied with a slight bow.

"Me too," I said.

Her gaze lingered on me a little longer than I was comfortable with. "Well…have a good summer," she said before quickly turning on her heel and departing.

"Well, is anyone up for lunch?" Pastor Ashton asked as he turned to the three of us. "After all that work, I'm hungry!"

"Me!" Kyou yelled, raising her hand. "I've got money!"

"Me, too," Ryou said timidly.

"I'm broke," I admitted, heat rising in my face. "I spent it all on Tuesday and don't get my allowance until next Sunday. You go have a good time. See you later," I said, waving them off as I turned to head for home.

"No, Okazaki; that won't work," I heard Pastor Ashton say from behind me.

"Huh?" I turned to face him again.

"That won't work," he repeated. "It won't be the same without you eating with us, so I'll treat you."

My disbelief had to have shown in my expression. "You're…going to treat me? Wasn't once enough?"

He walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Forgive me for going 'full-Christian' on you, but…allow me to show you some of God's love….please?"

Damn…he had done it to me again, using his god's name against me… "A-All right…sure…thank you." I managed to mumble.

* * *

We found a nice café-style restaurant and sat at one of the many outdoor tables. "It's too nice outside to be sitting inside and breathing recycled air," Ashton had declared; none of us could argue that point.

"Order whatever you want," he told me as we picked up our menus.

"But-"

"Order whatever you want," he repeated with an understanding smile. What was it about the guy that always managed to get through my guard?

I chuckled as I shook my head. "Yes, sir."

In the end the twins ordered salads, I ordered a sandwich and the pastor ordered a burger. "I like how they taste over here," he explained, causing Ryou to giggle.

"Onee-chan, you should try cooking for him sometime," she suggested while sending a knowing smile my way.

"Ry-Ryou!" Kyou exclaimed. "Why would I-I do that?!"

"You cook?" Ashton asked, clearly interested.

"Onee-chan is a wonderful cook," Ryou gushed. "She makes the best dishes and knows how to combine flavors into…into…something wonderful!"

"Ryou, stop that!" The elder twin waved her hands in front of her sister. "D-Don't listen to her; she doesn't know wh-what she's talking about."

"Aw, cut the crap Kyou," I jumped in. "Your cooking is awesome."

"Right!" Ryou chirped. "I remember all those delicious lunches you made when you were trying to get…"

I knew why she trailed off; she was thinking of the meals that Kyou made when she was trying to get her sister and I together. "Yeah, they were good," I said quietly.

"Is it just me, or did the atmosphere just get really heavy?" I looked up to see Pastor Ashton looking between the three of us.

"I'm sorry, Pastor," I heard Ryou say as I looked back down at the table. "I…started to talk about a…sad memory…"

"It's okay," he said softly. "I think I understand well enough."

Fortunately, my brooding was interrupted by the server bringing us our food.

"This looks really good!" Ashton exclaimed, clearly trying to bring up the mood.

The three of us managed to exchange smiles before we put our hands together. "Itadakimasu."

Unsurprisingly, the only voice missing was the pastor's, and I looked over to see his face toward the sky with his eyes closed.

"P-Pastor…?" Ryou said.

His eyes flicked open as he brought his head back down. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"What were you doing?" Kyou asked.

He smiled shyly. "Something similar to what you just did." He flicked his napkin into his lap. "Just praying; thanking the Lord for providing the food."

"The restaurant provided the food," I pointed out.

He smiled kindly. "Actually, the-" He seemed to catch himself. "Well, I could explain, but that might be…awkward."

"I want to know," Kyou insisted.

"Thank you Miss Kyou, but Tomoya and I have an understanding; he listens to my advice and I don't try to preach to him."

"But you wouldn't be preaching to him," Kyou countered with a sly smile. "You'd be preaching to me."

"Good point." He sighed, then looked to me. "Would you be okay with it?"

I sighed as well. "Look…maybe I need to ease up on that…I mean, even if I end up thinking you're wrong, I should at least hear you out, right?"

"Okazaki-kun…"

The look on his face…it was like a child who had been given that best gift ever. "Thank you, Tomoya. I'll try to not overdo it, but…thank you."

"Just…get on with it," I grumbled, waving a hand at Kyou.


	21. When it Rains

**Chapter Twenty-One: When it Rains…**

"…so, you see, the meal may have been prepared by the cooks, but the materials used to prepare those meals come from other places." He gestured at his burger. "The meat in here came from a cow, which leads to the question: where did the cow come from? Not just the particular one that's in my burger, but the idea of the cow?"

"Wow," Kyou breathed. "I never thought about that."

"There were a lot of things I had to stop taking for granted when I found Jesus," Pastor Ashton said, then grimaced. "Or more like 'he caught me'. Anyway, I think I've delayed our meal long enough."

"So, what were you saying when you were praying to him just now?" Kyou asked; she seemed to be really getting into this, which worried me more than a little.

He smiled awkwardly. "Nothing lengthy; just a thank-you."

"Could you say it out loud?"

He looked around the table before returning his attention to my friend. "Miss Kyou, I am the only believer at this table, so I don't think it would be polite to-"

"Oh, stop," she interrupted. "If they don't want to hear it, then they can just chew louder."

"I…wouldn't mind hearing it," Ryou said meekly.

I simply shrugged when he looked to me. "Okay, then; I guess I have you all on record," he said with a chuckle before looking to the sky again. "Father, thank you for providing for us, whom you love." He then picked up his burger and took a bite.

"That was…hm," Kyou mused as she picked up her chopsticks. "I don't know what to think."

"That sure was a lot in one statement," Ryou remarked as she retrieved hers as well. "It was…pretty."

For his part, Pastor Ashton munched on his burger with a redder face than usual.

* * *

I glanced over at the older twin several times as the three of us headed to her place, having separated from Pastor Ashton after lunch. For her part, she seemed…determined, like she had come to some kind of decision and was focused on what she would need to do. Ryou walked on her other side, occasionally glancing over at her or at me.

As we arrived at her house, Kyou turned to me, running her fingers through her hair. "Hey, Tomoya; friends take care of each other, right?"

"Sure," I replied. "Why?"

"So if something bad happened to Ryou or me, you'd help out, right?"

"As best as I could," I acknowledged. "Why do you ask?"

She bit her lip as she looked to the ground, and I exchanged a concerned look with Ryou.

"Just…wondering," she finally said, then looked back up to me. "Thanks, Tomoya. See you." And with that she headed into her house, with a worried younger sister behind her.

* * *

I didn't have anything to do, so I headed over to Ashton's church to see if he was still free.

I arrived to find him locking up the front door. "Hey Tomoya," he greeted absently while messing with the key. "I'm afraid I can't talk right now; I'm headed to an emergency home visit."

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure just yet," he admitted. "I just got off the phone with one of the church members; the…daughter of a friend of the family is missing, and they'd like me to visit."

"Can I come?"

"Tomoya, this is church business; I don't mind if you come along, but keep in mind that-"

"I got it," I interrupted. "I've got nothing else to do, and…well, I'd like to help if could, too."

He finally got the door locked. "All right then, but I need you to keep up," he called over his shoulder as he took off at a brisk pace.

It didn't take long for me to lose track of where we were, as he led us down one street after another, finally coming to one of the nicer neighborhoods.

"Ah, here it is." He angled for one house in particular; a large two-story house, a dark blue with a lighter-blue trim. "Let me just check one last time…" He pulled out a piece of paper and glanced at it and the house number before heading up to the door and knocking.

A few moments later an attractive older girl answered the door; from her expression I could tell that she had been crying. "May I help you?"

"Good afternoon, ma'am," Ashton greeted in with a gentle tone. "Is this the Miyazawa residence?"

The name sounded familiar…I blinked; was this Yukine's house?

"Yes, it is," she replied. "Are you Pastor Ashton?"

"I am, and I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter."

Red flags went up. Wait…was Yukine the 'daughter'? "What happened?" I blurted.

The pastor gave me a disapproving look. "Not now, please."

"Who is this?" the girl – no, wait…Yukine's mother?! – asked.

He put a hand on my shoulder, drawing me up beside him. "This is Okazaki; he's accompanying me today. Is that okay?"

She turned sad eyes on me. "Do you know my Yuki-chan?"

"I think so, ma'am," I replied. "I know a girl named Yukine who spends her breaks in the Reference Room, and she looks a lot like you."

"Oh, how nice!" she said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Oh, I'm sorry! Please, come in!"

"Thank you, Haruka-san," Ashton said as we entered. "Is your husband here?"

"Yeah," came a rough voice. "Such as he is right now."

"This is my husband, Rentarou," Haruka said as her husband straightened his tie.

"Nice to meet you, sir," the pastor said while bowing, and I followed suit. "I wish we could have met under better circumstances."

"Me too," Rentarou sighed; then he apparently noticed me. "Well, hello. Who's this?"

"This is a friend of Yuki-chan's," his wife answered. "They go to the same school."

"We're not-" I was about to say 'We're not really friends', but I realized that that wouldn't help at the moment. It also didn't help that my most recent memory of her was of her hitting on me in the Reference Room. "We're not in the same grade, though."

"That's okay," Haruka said. "It's just nice to know that she has such a handsome young man for a friend."

Self-consciousness kept me from replying as my face heated up.

"Have the police been by?" Ashton asked as we moved to the living room.

"They left just a few minutes ago," Rentarou replied as we settled into our seats. "For now, they're treating it as a kidnapping."

"My poor baby," Haruka wept. "If anything were to happen to her…I couldn't go through this again."

"Again?" the pastor asked.

Rentarou sighed. "We…had a son…Kazuto…he was Yukine's older brother…"

"He died a few years ago in an auto accident," Haruka said. "Yukine's our last child, and…"

"I'm so sorry," Ashton said consolingly, and I could tell that he really meant it. "Are there any other resources for locating you daughter?"

"We're supposed to be receiving a visit from some kind of special agent from America," Rentarou said. "We've been told that he's really good at helping with situations such as this."

I grunted as I felt a throbbing in my head, and I could see an image of a black car with a red light on the front that swept back and forth…

"Hey, Tomoya," I looked up to find Ashton with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

"I think so…" I groaned as the pain started to vanish. "For some reason I saw…" I waved my hand. "I'm sorry about that; I guess I'm tired or something."

"Do you want to lay down?" Haruka offered. "We have a room you could use if you need to."

"No…thank you, really," I said as the pain flared again, but not enough to overwhelm me. "This is supposed to be about you, so…"

Pastor Ashton and I listened as the Miyazawas told us about their children; their falling out with Kazuto, Yukine's change due to the loss of her brother…

"I'm so sorry," Pastor Ashton said yet again. "I can only imagine what you must be going through, but I can tell that it hurts you both deeply. May I pray for you?"

Rentarou smiled wryly. "That's why you're here, isn't it?"

"Part of it," he admitted. "But I don't want to force anything on you."

"Oh, ignore him," Haruka said as she gently swatted her husband's arm. "If nothing else, it would give me some peace of mind, knowing that someone cares."

"Well, someone does care," Ashton replied with a mysterious smile. The he bowed his head and spoke…or rather, he prayed. He asked for peace for Yukine's parents as well as Yukine herself, he asked for wisdom for the police and the agent who would be helping them and, finally, he asked for the safe return of Yukine from whatever force had taken her from her family. His words sounded so genuine that even I felt pinpricks in my eyes.

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming by," Haruka said as she hugged my friend.

"Please keep me updated if you can," Ashton requested. "I'll be praying for all of you every day, for her safe return."

"Thank you," Rentarou said with a tight voice as he shook the pastor's hand. "We're not particularly religious, you understand, but it's good to know you care."

Ashton sighed heavily as we made our way back to the church. "My heart really goes out to them."

"Are you really going to be praying every day for them?" I asked.

"Absolutely," he replied with a tired tone. "Starting tonight."

"Is it hard to do? Praying, I mean?"

"Not really; when you think about it, praying is just a fancy word for talking to God," he said. "Anyone can do it if they want to...they just have to truly want to."

I pondered his words the rest of the way back to the church.

* * *

It was getting dark by the time my house came into view. As I approached, I saw a couple of figures out in front of the house. Figuring that they were waiting for my dad, I called out to them. "He's out-of-town right now!"

"Okazaki-kun?"

"Fujibayashi?" I jogged the remaining distance to find Kyou with her. "Hey, you two; what are you doing all the way out here?"

They looked at each other, then bowed deeply toward me. "Okazaki-kun! Could Onee-chan stay with you?!"

"Huh?"

They straightened again, and this time Kyou spoke. "Can I stay with you for awhile?"

"What for?"

"Well…Dad kinda…kicked me out."


	22. Seeking Shelter

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Seeking Shelter**

Ryou and I sat around the kotatsu as Kyou unloaded her stuff in our spare room.

"She told them everything," Ryou said with admiration in her voice. "About the bible school, about the pastor…and about the pastor."

"So she really has fallen for him?"

She nodded with a shy smile. "I thought that she did, but to hear her actually say it to Dad and Mom…" she giggled. "I'm so proud of her."

"Does she know what she's getting herself into?"

"Not entirely, no," she admitted. "She understands that he's a pastor, so he's studied his religion very deeply."

I shook my head. "It's more than just studies," I told her. "It's his life. I mean, he has his quirks, sure, but it's all under his belief in his god. Does she know that?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "But if what you're saying is true, then at least part of what she has fallen in love with is because of his religion."

"But she hasn't even confessed to him y-"

"Hey! No talking about me behind my back!" Kyou barked as she entered the room. When we turned to look, however, she had a huge smile. "Wondering if I did the right thing?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," I admitted. "Why did your dad kick you out, anyway?"

She sighed noisily as she ran her fingers through her hair. "He gave his reasons, but I think it's really just so he can have some space to think about it. I did basically dump a bunch of heavy stuff on them, after all."

"Doesn't his religion bother you at all?" I asked. "It isn't just part of his life, after all; it is his life."

"Yes and no," she admitted as she joined us at the kotatsu. "I think the things I like about him come from his religion; his wanting to help others, for example. I guess the 'no' part would be because I just don't know a whole lot about it, so it's kinda scary…and exciting."

"That does sound a lot like you," I acknowledged with a smile.

"Plus he's really cute!" she added.

"Onee-chan…" her sister giggled.

"In any case," I said, trying to change the subject, "you can stay for a day or two, but you can't stay much longer than that. Dad's visiting his mom right now, so I'm the only one here."

"I got it," she answered smoothly. "I'll work on finding somewhere more long-term."

"Maybe Pastor Ashton could help?" Ryou suggested.

"Hmm, good idea," I mused. "I'll call him in the morning and ask him about it." I gave her a wry smile. "Maybe he'd let you stay with him."

Her eyes widened as she flexed her fingers. "That would be…great."

"Onee-chan!"

Kyou burst into laughter. "I'm just kidding, Ryou! A guy like him wouldn't want a single girl living with him under the same roof!"

"Oh."

I checked the time. "Fujibayashi, shouldn't you be getting back home? You got here late enough as it is."

"You're right," she said, looking at her wrist. "Mom and Dad are going to start worrying. They knew I'd be helping Onee-chan find someplace to stay, but…"

Kyou gave me a gentle push. "Walk her home, Tomoya; I'll keep an eye on the place for you."

* * *

"Thank you for letting Onee-chan stay with you," Ryou said as her house came into sight. "I think she knew that this would happen; that's why she asked you about taking care of her."

That made sense. "I'm glad that I could help," I said, then chuckled. "Maybe if the pastor can help, we could kill two birds with one stone."

"Maybe," she replied with a giggle. "I wouldn't mind having him for a brother-in-law."

"Yeah…"

We stood in front of her house in silence for what seemed like an eternity. "W-Well, I'd better get inside…"

"Fujibayashi?"

She stopped and turned back to me. "Y-Yes?"

I forced myself to look her squarely in the eye. "May…May I hug you?"

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it looked like she wanted me to hug her as much as I wanted to hug her. "O-Okay."

I slowly stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her, and I could feel her arms wrap around me. God, I missed that feeling so much…

I felt something on my cheek, so I brushed at it with my hand, only for it to come away wet. "What the-" It took me several seconds before I realized that they were tears. "Why…?"

"Okazaki-kun?"

I released her, stepping back to wipe away tears that wouldn't stop coming. "What's going on?" I demanded as the tears continued to flow. It was weird; I wasn't crying normally, but the tears…

"Okazaki-kun, area you okay?"

I looked at her through distorted vision, and it finally hit me: "I miss you."

Her hands flew to her mouth, and she started to tremble. "I-I m-miss you, too."

I looked stupidly at my hands as they filled with my tears. "I-I'm really sorry, Ryou…I r-really didn't know this would happen…I…I've gotta go!" Shame propelled me, turning and running for home as I tried to stop the flood coming from my eyes.

I wasn't sure, but I thought I heard her cry "Tomoya-kun!" as I fled.

* * *

I woke the next morning feeling like crap. Hopefully Ryou wouldn't blame herself for what happened, and I made a mental note to apologize properly the next time I saw her.

I came downstairs to a wonderful smell, and found Kyou in the kitchen, cooking up one of her masterpieces. "Smells good," I remarked. "Are you making it for us or just for you?"

"For both of us, of course," she replied. "I'm not going to stay in another person's home and just mooch off of them."

I grimaced. "Sorry, Kyou; I didn't mean anything by it."

"Don't worry about it, just sit," she ordered. "It's almost ready."

"Yes, ma'am," I said as I plopped down at the kotatsu.

A few minutes later, she came to the table and set down two plates covered with her culinary magic. "Are you okay? I didn't want to say anything last night, but you were a mess."

"Thanks," I said. "I, uh, made an ass out of myself in front of your sister; I didn't hurt her as far as I know, but I might have embarrassed her."

"I see," she said as she put her hands together.

" _Itadakimasu."_

"Next time I see her, I'll apologize properly," I said as we started to eat. "I kinda blurted one out last night, but I want to do it right."

"I'm sure she won't blame you," she said with a confident smile.

"Well, that's kinda the problem; I don't want her to start blaming herself."

"Good point," she said. "She can be her own worst enemy."

After breakfast, Kyou started cleaning up the table while I headed over to the phone.

" _Glory to God, Pastor Jeff speaking."_

"Good morning, Pastor."

" _Tomoya! Hey, good morning! What can I do for you?"_

I explained the situation to him, omitting the target of Kyou's affections for obvious reasons. "So she needs somewhere to stay for a while. She can't stay here for long, since I'm by myself."

" _Right..."_

"Do you have any suggestions?"

I heard a heavy sigh. _"Let me make some calls and get back to you. It's a good thing this happened now; not much going on today."_

"Sorry to take from your break," I said with a smile.

A chuckle. _"Nah, don't worry about it; it's what I'm here for and what I enjoy. Talk to you later!"_

"What did he say?" Kyou asked as I hung up.

"He's going to see what he can do," I told her. "He'll be calling back later."

"Did you tell him that I…you know…?"

I shook my head. "No way; that's your job."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Hey, call Ryou; I don't think she's working today and she could come over!"

I chuckled as I turned back to the phone. Even though it would be awkward, at least I'd be able to see her again; maybe I could apologize properly then?

* * *

The phone rang as the three of us were playing a card game. "Hi, this is Okazaki," I greeted.

" _Hi, is this Tomoya?"_

"Hey, Pastor!" I said, and I saw the twins both look my way. "Any luck?"

" _Actually, yes. There's a family that runs a bakery nearby; the Furukawas?"_

"Right, I know them," I said. "I acted with Furu-I mean, their daughter in the play."

" _Ah, that's right, I guess you did. Anyway, they have an open room that they're willing to share."_

I excused myself from the call to address the twins. "He says that the Furukawas have a room they can spare."

"That's not too far from the school," Ryou observed.

"Or from the church," Kyou added, flexing her fingers.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou giggled.

"You wanna head over and talk to them?" I asked. "I know where they live, so I can take you."

"Sure!" Kyou chirped as she set down her cards.

"Pastor?" I said, turning my attention back to the phone. "We're going to head over there – to the bakery, I mean."

" _Sounds good. I'll meet you there."_

"You don't have to," I politely protested. "I know the family a bit so-"

" _I appreciate that, Tomoya, but until Miss Kyou is taken care of, I'm responsible for her."_

"Okay, fair enough," I replied. "See you later."

After getting off the phone, the three of us packed her stuff and headed over to Furukawa Bakery.


	23. Settling In

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Settling In**

We entered Furukawa Bakery to find Akio carefully laying out bread while Sanae hung around the back, messing around with the cash register.

"Ah! Okazaki-san!" she greeted; part of me was glad she didn't call me by one of her bizarre made-up names, but another part of me kinda missed it.

"Good morning, Sanae-san," I said, raising a hand in greeting. "Is the pastor here?"

"Hey, what about me?" Akio grunted, his usual cigarette in place. "Don't I get a 'good morning' or something like that?"

"Good morning, Akio-san," I greeted with an impish smile. I had an idea of how he would respond…

…and he didn't disappoint. "Call me Akio-sama!"

My smile broadened as Ryou giggled.

"Akio-san, are you giving our customers trouble?" Sanae asked.

"It's AKIO-SAMAAAA!"

"Yes, yes; Akio-sama, are you giving our customers trouble?"

"It's fine, ma'am; I'm used to it," I said as we approached the register, Ryou still giggling. "Is the pastor here?"

"Right here!" the man in question said with a smile as he entered from the living area of the house. "Got here just a few minutes ago. Ah, there you are, Miss Kyou! Good morning!"

"G-Good morning," my friend replied. "Th-Thanks for helping me out."

"No problem," he replied. "Protecting your reputation is important, after all."

"Ah, then you must be Kyou-chan!" Sanae exclaimed as she made her way over to my friend. "I'm sorry to hear about your situation. You may stay here as long as you need to."

"Thank you," Kyou replied, sounding bashful. "I'll try to stay out of your way."

"From what I've been told, she's a great cook," Ashton said with a wink. "Maybe she could help out in the kitchen."

"If you could help with Sanae's bread, that would be a huge help," Akio suggested.

"She's right behind you…" I groaned, and waited…3…2…1…

"My bread is…My bread is…"

The cigarette fell from his mouth. "S-Sanae…?"

"MY BREAD IS NO GOOOOOD!" she cried as she ran out the front door of the bakery. Akio quickly ran over to a display of bread that I assumed was hers, stuffed his mouth full of bread, and took off out the door after her. "FFANAEE! I UFFF OOOOO!"

Pastor Ashton shook his head with a chuckle as Akio's voice faded into the distance. "What an interesting couple."

"Do they attend your church?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, but they've donated food for our outreach programs on several occasions; they're a very generous family."

"I'll say," I said. "I'd only known Furu-the daughter for a couple of days before she invited me to stay with them…which reminds me; how are we supposed to get Kyou settled in now?"

"Oh! Okazaki-san!" A potential solution to our problem came from the back room in the form of Nagisa. "I was in the kitchen, so I didn't hear you come in." She looked around. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"Out for a run," I quipped before gesturing to the twins. "You know that Kyou's staying for a while, right?"

"Of course!" she chirped. "Good morning Kyou-chan! Now, you're the one with the…the long hair, right?"

"That's right," Kyou replied, sounding glad to finally be part of the conversation. "And this is my sister, Ryou."

"Good to see you again," Ryou greeted with a polite bow, and I noticed that Kyou's eyebrows jumped, though she didn't say anything.

"Good to see you again, too," Nagisa replied with a bow of her own. "I guess…since Mom and Dad aren't here, I can show you to your room!"

"Sounds good," I said, and stepped aside to let the twins pass me to follow Nagisa into the living area beyond the bakery.

I started to cross the threshold into the living area after them, but Kyou stopped me. "You're not seriously thinking of going into a bedroom with three beautiful women, are you?"

"Good point," I replied. "Sorry, just trying to help."

"I know," she said as she patted my chest. "Just be a good boy and wait out here, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, putting on my best sheepish smile; I didn't mean it of course, but I also didn't mind playing along.

As I turned back to the bakery, Nagisa's parents returned from their run. "Hey, where'd the purple-haired girls go?" Akio asked.

"Your daughter's helping Kyou get settled in, and her sister went with her," I answered as I jerked my thumb to the back of the room.

"Perhaps I should go help, then," Sanae decided, then headed to the back herself.

"Well, that leaves us gentlemen," Pastor Ashton said as he rubbed his hands together. "What shall we do while we wait for the ladies?"

* * *

"It's so nice having a house full of people!" Sanae exclaimed as she brought out a plate of sandwiches. Close behind her was Nagisa with a huge bowl of vegetables and after her was Kyou with another bowl, this one with a variety of fruit. They somehow managed to fit it all on the table with our plates.

"That's a lot of food," I said as I gazed at the mountain of sandwiches.

"Kyou-chan helped me in the kitchen," Sanae explained, then pointed to one side of the plate. "She made those and I made the ones on the other side."

"So you can keep your opinions to yourself," Kyou declared.

"Yes, ma'am," I said with an impish smile.

"She is amazing in the kitchen," Sanae said. "I may have to ask her to teach me a few things."

"Th-Thank you," Kyou said while giving Ashton an anxious look, "but I'm sure I'm not as good as you are."

"Everybody's a good cook, okay?" Akio announced. "Can we eat now?"

" _Itadakimasu."_

I glanced over and, as expected, Pastor Ashton was praying; this time, though, he had his head bowed instead of pointed upward. Maybe he looked up when outside and down when inside? I shook my head with a smile as I reached for a sandwich.

"No offense Sanae-san, but I'm going to try one of Miss Kyou's sandwiches first," Ashton said as he reached toward the plate.

"It's quite all right," Sanae said with a kind smile. "Go right ahead."

I watched with interest as he took some kind of meat-filled sandwich and brought it to his mouth. "Wooooow…" he breathed after his first bite. "This is amazing…"

Kyou didn't seem to notice as she took a portion of salad, but I saw a definite tint to her cheeks so I decided to have a little fun. "Hey Kyou, Pastor really seems to like your cooking; what do you think?"

She didn't answer immediately, but the color on her cheeks definitely darkened. "Th-Thank you, P-Pastor; I-I'm glad you like it," she finally managed.

"Okazaki-san, are you picking on Kyou-chan?" Sanae asked in a scolding tone.

"Yes, ma'am," I admitted.

"Don't worry, Sanae-san; I can handle Tomoya just fine," Kyou said as she sent a glare my way; I simply smirked at her.

"Kids, behave," Akio warned as he took an apple.

"Yes, sir," I said, giving my best fake look of contrition.

* * *

"Hey, Tomoya." Kyou stopped me as I headed out the door. Pastor Ashton was already on his way back to the church, and the twins had been talking up a storm with Sanae and Nagisa, so I figured I could leave without causing a problem.

"What's up?"

"Can I ask you a favor?" she asked with her hands behind her back and a self-conscious expression.

"What is it?"

She brought one of her hands out from behind her back to hold out an envelope. The whole thing was blank except for a heart sticker used to seal the flap, and I figured I knew what it was. "Would you give this to him for me?"

"The pastor, right?" I asked as I took the envelope from her.

She nodded solemnly. "I'll be going into town with Ryou and Nagisa for a while, so I was hoping you could deliver it while I'm out. I don't want to sit at home and worry."

I turned it over several times before giving her a gentle smile. "Good for you, Kyou; this takes a lot of courage."

"I know, dummy," she chided softly. "I wrote it, you know."

I stared at the envelope…something wasn't right, but I wasn't sure what it was…

"Tomoya?"

I looked up to meet her gaze. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, he's not in high-school; I mean, the guy's-" I cut myself off as I realized that the pastor might not appreciate me giving away his personal information. "He's an adult, Kyou, and this…" I said, gesturing to the letter, "might be a bit immature for him." She opened her mouth, but I continued. "I know you mean well, and I think it's awesome that you're…what would he call it…? Making yourself vulnerable? Yeah, that's it; it's great that you're making yourself vulnerable like this, but the guy's an adult, so he couldn't appreciate this the way another high-schooler would."

"Okazaki-san's right," a voice suddenly interjected, causing us both to jump. "Ashton-sensei's a grownup, like Fuuko."

"Fuuko!" I hadn't seen the shrimp in a while. "How long have you…never mind," I amended as I remembered our last interaction.

"You know this girl?" Kyou asked with a suspicious look.

"From school, yeah," I replied.

"Love letters like that are for children, not for grown-ups," Fuuko declared. "If you want to win a man's heart, you have to find out what he likes and give it to him."

Kyou's eyes widened. "W-Well, all boys like sex, so…no, he's not like that."

"And you shouldn't give yourself away so easily," Fuuko said in a scolding tone. "If virginity's so important, then it shouldn't be given away so easily."

"He really liked your sandwiches," I said, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"Y-Yeah…" Kyou put her finger to her chin, lost in thought.

"It's summer, so picnics," Fuuko declared…or was that just the way she talked? "Make lots of yummy food, and when he eats it he'll fall in love with you."

"I think she's overstating it, but I think she has the right idea," I said. "If you want to learn more…about…" I faltered as I remembered my conversation with Ryou, about how we'd learn about each other by dating; I pushed the memory away…for the time being, at least. "You can make the lunches and ask him…get him to talk about himself so you can learn more about him."

A smile crept across her face; then, she grabbed at the letter. "Give me that," she demanded. "It's too soon for that." At my puzzled look she said, "I'll want to give that to him at some point just because I wrote it, but now's not the time. Come on," she ordered as she grabbed me with one hand and Fuuko with the other and started dragging us back into the bakery. "We have planning to do."


	24. Plan of Attack

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Plan of Attack**

"Saturday?" he asked. "Sure, I'm free. Why?"

"Well, the twins and I are going on a picnic, and we'd like you to come along," I said.

"A picnic, huh?" he mused. "Wait, will Miss Kyou be making anything?"

Ah-hah; he'd taken the bait. "Yup! She'll be making the lunch."

"I was very impressed with her sandwiches the other day," he remarked. "Nothing against Sanae-san's efforts, of course; it's just that…"

"I've had her stuff before," I told him. "I understand."

He regarded me for a moment. "Let me check my calendar to be sure, and I'll give you a call later, okay?"

"Sounds good." I replied with a smile.

As I walked away from the church to the bakery I pumped my fist. "Got him…"

* * *

"Over here, Tomoya!" I looked over to see Kyou waving at me from a checkered sheet. Her sister and the pastor were already with her as well. A rather large box sat off to the side, just off of the blanket, and I assumed that it was our lunch.

I jogged over and started removing my shoes. "Sorry I'm late; I got held up on the way."

"Well, we're just glad you could make it," the pastor said warmly.

"Thank you, pastor," I said.

"I think it's fine to call me 'Jeff' now, if you want."

"I'll…work on that," I said with an awkward chuckle.

The twins opened the box and began to remove its contents. Smaller boxes were spread around and chopsticks were handed out.

"I'll never get the hang of these," Jeff complained as he struggled with his chopsticks. "I guess I'm just too clumsy for them."

I flashed a knowing grin at Kyou, who smiled as well. "Here, let me help you." Ryou and I watched with amused but not unkind smiles as she tried to manipulate his hand into the proper position, blushing the whole time. "See? L-Like this."

"Oh, I think I get it now," he said. "Like a pencil but with another pencil."

"S-Something like that," she said as she let go of his hand; reluctantly, I noticed. "It'll take some getting used to, but I believe you can do it."

"Thank you, Miss Kyou," he said while inclining his head in a slight bow.

"Call me just 'Kyou'…please?"

My eyebrows jumped at her boldness.

"…I mean…since Tomoya can call you by your first name now, I just thought…"

He smiled kindly. "If that's what you want…Kyou…then that's what I'll call you."

She tried to hide her blush by looking down at the food boxes as she reached out with her chopsticks.

"I guess since we're all friends now, please call me 'Ryou'," she said, giggling softly.

"Very well…Ryou…" He then made a face. "I'm sorry, but in English we normally have the 'ry' at the ends of words, so you might need to be patient with me while I get used to it."

"It's okay," she replied with another giggle. "As long as you're trying."

We make small talk at first; the weather, summer activities, Kyou's applications…

"So, how long have you been a pastor?" Kyou asked, taking some initiative.

He looked up as he searched his memory. "Well, let's see…I was ordained back in '98, so…about five years?"

"Why did you want to become a pastor?"

"That's kind of a long story," he replied with a smile. "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"I do," Kyou said as she leaned toward him, causing my eyebrows to jump again.

He quickly finished his sandwich and leaned back on his hands. "Well, it goes back to high school…I was seeing this girl and she invited me to her church."

"Suckered in by a pretty face," I quipped.

"You might say that," he replied with a self-conscious smile.

"Hush, Tomoya," Kyou scolded while her sister giggled. "Go on…J-Jeff."

He blinked, presumably at the unexpected use of his name. "Anyway, I got into the Bible, studying it to impress this girl, and…well, somewhere along the way, I got hooked."

"Hooked?" Ryou asked.

"Truth be told, I had no interest in religion; I thought it was just a bunch of stories people told themselves to make themselves feel better. In the end, like C. S. Lewis, I was dragged into the faith 'kicking and screaming, a reluctant convert'."

"Wow," Kyou breathed, and her smile looked so… _feminine_.

"I know I'm nowhere near as smart as Professor Lewis was, but I couldn't fight the logic before me. In fact, I made the mistake of reading his book 'Mere Christianity', which sealed my fate, so to speak."

"What about the girl?" I asked, glancing over at Kyou.

"She dumped me," he said before downing a grape. "At the risk of sounding prideful, I started talking about stuff that was apparently way over her head; I guess she just wanted the 'safe' Christianity, which just focuses on good behavior and family as opposed to the Christianity that takes risks and explores philosophies and goes out into the world to spread the Good News."

"What's wrong with family?" Kyou challenged.

"Nothing," he replied, then shrugged. "It's just that that's not what Christianity's about; it's about following God, loving Him and doing what He says in order to come in line with reality. He made reality, after all."

"So how do families fit in to that?"

"He told Adam and Eve to 'go forth and multiply'," he said. "The family is the natural result of that multiplication. But what's happened is that – at least in Western Christianity – the family has become the center instead of God."

"Western Christianity?" I asked.

"Never mind," he said, waving his hands. "That's another long story that I'd love to tell, but we're getting off-topic. Getting back to Kyou's question; after getting dumped, I looked into seminaries, applied to one, attended, and earned my degree. Not long after that I was ordained by my pastor, and I started preaching." His eyes appeared to lose focus. "It wasn't long after that that I started having disagreements with the organization on certain doctrines, and…" He rubbed his nose. "Yeah."

"Are you okay?" Kyou asked, beating her sister to the punch.

"That's…another long story," he replied, and I could have sworn I saw a flicker of pain cross his face, even if just for a moment. "Anyway, I've droned on long enough. It's not Sunday, after all," he quipped.

We continued to eat, but Kyou and I exchanged concerned glances.

* * *

"He's obviously hiding something," Kyou said as we rested in her room at Nagisa's place.

I agreed. "And it looks like it's more than just a difference of opinion with his bosses."

"Whatever it is, it still hurts him deeply," Ryou said with sympathetic pain in her own tone.

"I don't like him hurting like this," Kyou said, and it was nice seeing the kind side of Kyou after all of our…exchanges…early in the school year. "I want to…to…take his pain away."

"Maybe you could pray for him?" I suggested half-jokingly.

She blinked. "Hey, that's not a bad idea. I mean, it couldn't hurt, right?"

"Onee-chan?"

"What?" she said, shrugging. "It's not going to hurt anyone, right?"

"I-I guess…" I replied somewhat lamely. Was she seriously considering it? "Well, if you think it'll help…go for it."

She crossed her arms with a serious expression. "I'll have to think about what to say; I don't want to mess up."

"I don't think you have to worry too much," I said. "From what Jeff's said, all you have to do is talk to God like you'd talk to anyone else. I guess you'd want to be respectful since you're asking him for something, but otherwise…" I shrugged. "I'm no expert, so you'd have to ask him – I mean, the pastor – about it."

"Hmm…" She put her hand to her lips, clearly lost in thought; Ryou and I exchanged a few glances while we watched her.

She finally lowered her hand. "Well, I'm not going to get any closer by just sitting here and thinking. I'm going to try…praying…tonight and see what happens." With that, she abruptly got to her feet. "Argh, I need to go do something! Let's go to the park or something!"

"Or the church," I suggested with a wicked grin.

"Nah, I don't want to scare him off," she said, missing my jab. "But maybe we could figure out what we're going to do next Saturday."

"Another picnic?" I suggested, more seriously this time.

"Okazaki-san!" We jumped as Nagisa suddenly entered the room. "Oh! I'm sorry, but the door was open, so I-"

"Don't worry about it!" Kyou chirped. "What'cha need?"

Nagisa held up an envelope. "Mom and Dad won these tickets to the amusement park, but we won't be able to use them in time; would any of you be interested?"

The three of us looked at each other. "How many tickets are there?" I asked.

"Four."

The three of us smiled at each other, and I figured we all knew what the other was thinking…

* * *

"Friday?" Jeff asked. "Sure, I'm free. Why?"


	25. Amuse-ment Park

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Amuse-ment Park**

I idly tapped the ground with my shoe as I waited outside the train station for the others. I knew I was early, but with nothing else to do I had decided to come early.

"Okazaki-kun!" I looked up from my tapping to see Ryou…and my eyes widened.

She had on a dress similar to the one that she wore on our last 'date', only this one was white instead of black, and she had her usual white ribbon instead of the dark blue. A white hat with a large brim sat atop her head, and white slipper-like shoes protected her feet from the pavement.

"Wow…" I breathed.

She stopped before me with a worried look. "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head. "You…look beautiful," I replied with a voice filled with awe.

Her face immediately turned scarlet as she looked toward the ground. "I-I'm not-"

I quickly but gently captured her chin and tilted her face back up to look directly into her uneasy eyes. "Yes. You are."

Her blink pushed the tears from her eyes to trickle down her cheeks. "Th-Thank you."

She hurriedly dried her eyes as her sister approached with Pastor Ashton; she didn't want me to get in trouble, and I appreciated that.

"Are we late?" he asked as he checked his watch.

"No, they're just early," Kyou replied. She exchanged kisses on the cheek with her sister before addressing me. "Good morning, Tomoya."

"'Morning," I greeted. "Are we all ready, then?"

"Yup!" she chirped as she held up a bag. "I brought lunch again!"

"We could have bought something at the…oh, right," I said, then lightly bopped myself in the head; of course she'd want to make a lunch.

The train arrived and we piled in; it was busy, but not so busy that we couldn't sit together…or stand, as Jeff and I took hold of the handles as the girls sat. I smirked as I watched Kyou, who was busy admiring Jeff, who was busy admiring the scenery outside the train. Poor girl.

As expected, the ride was a short one and soon we found ourselves in front of the entrance to the amusement park.

"When was the last time we came here, Onee-chan?" Ryou asked.

"Hmm…" Kyou sidled up to Jeff and took one of his arms in hers. "About two years ago?" She then had to jump back as he flinched quite…strongly.

"S-Sorry about that," he said when he had recovered. "I wasn't expecting that at all. I didn't hit you, did I?"

"N-No," she replied. "I-I-I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you."

"Why were you grabbing my arm in the first place?" he asked while rubbing at the affected limb.

Kyou's mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out.

"I think she wanted to make sure that we didn't become separated," Ryou explained, which wasn't too far from the truth.

"I see," he said, apparently accepting the explanation. "I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable being touched like that. Maybe your sister or Tomoya would be a better choice."

For a moment Kyou looked like she was going to cry, but she was a tough girl. "N-No, I-I'm fine. I'm sorry for forcing myself on you like that; I d-didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Forgiven and eventually forgotten," he said with his trademark kind smile. "Let's move on, okay?"

After that rocky start we worked on having a good time.

"What does everyone want to do?" the pastor asked. "I'm good for anything…except the roller coaster. I…don't do well with heights."

Unfortunately that left Kyou with her mouth hanging open. "Th-That's what I was going to suggest," she said sheepishly. "Never mind."

"No, it's fine," he said. "You could go with Tomoya or your sister…or both, for that matter."

"But that would leave you behind!" she protested. Before he could respond, she continued, "That won't work, Jeff; you have to be able to ride with us on the first ride, so we'll just have to do something else."

In the end, we decided to go a roller-coaster anyway, but at least it was low enough that Jeff was willing to go on it. "I don't want to be a killjoy, so I'll just do my best."

"That's the spirit!" Kyou exclaimed as she patted his arm from a safe distance.

We had a great time, though I thought I saw the pastor praying before the cars started to move.

It ended up too much for him anyway, and after the ride we helped him over to a bench, where he plopped down with his head between his knees. "Maybe something…a little slower…next?" he requested as Kyou rubbed his back.

* * *

"I feel like a little kid," I complained as we stood before the carousel.

"I'd like to go on it," Ryou said with a smile and a happy gleam in her eye.

"Great!" I exclaimed. "Let's go!"

In the end, the girls ended up on horses next to each other while we guys supported them to keep them from falling off. It actually felt good being able to hold Ryou's waist; she wasn't skinny, but I felt a nice combination of soft and firm as I carefully held her steady.

"Wow…" As the carousel started to move, I looked over to see Kyou on her horse with a wide-eyed expression. "When you haven't ridden one in a long time, it's so…different."

"You like it?" Jeff asked as he steadied his charge.

She closed her eyes, and it occurred to me that she might have been focusing on the feeling of his hands on her waist. "Yeah…"

I tried to hide my smile as I refocused on Ryou. She sat sideways on her horse because of her dress and held on to the pole in front of her with a delicate-looking grip. She was so ladylike that I had to fight myself to keep from pulling her into my arms. I enjoyed the look of contentment on her face as her horse went through its usual motions as the carousel turned. "Happy?"

She looked down with a soft smile. "I am. Thank you, Okazaki-kun, for h-holding me."

"My pleasure," I said, returning her smile.

We were quiet for the rest of the ride, just enjoying the ambience, and when the carousel finally came to a stop I stepped around Ryou's horse to help her down, holding her waist to slow her descent. We lightly bumped together as she landed, causing us both to apologize, then share an embarrassed chuckle as we exited the ride.

"That was fun, in its own way," Kyou admitted as we regrouped outside the attraction.

A few more rides later, and it was lunchtime. "Be right back," Kyou said as she jerked her thumb over at the food stands. "I didn't make everything this time; the bag would've been way too heavy."

"True," I grunted. "Need some help?"

"Naw, I got it," she replied as she handed the bag to her sister. She then took Jeff by the hand and dragged him along with her; at least she didn't try to grab his arm this time. Why an adult like him would allow her to treat him like that I figured I'd never understand.

"We can help by setting up things here," Ryou said as she placed the bag on a nearby picnic table and opened it. I moved next to her and peered into the bag to find several small wrapped boxes. We took turns removing boxes, and it wasn't long before we had everything set out on the table.

A few minutes later Kyou and Jeff returned with a couple of bags and a carrier with four drinks in it. "I hope you don't mind, but I ordered for you," he told me as he started putting the drinks around the table. "She dragged me off so quickly that I couldn't ask."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I like a lot of flavors, so I should be fine."

"See? I told you," Kyou said in a teasing tone along with a smile.

"Yes, you told me," he admitted with a smile of his own. "Good for you."

With the food and the drinks set we settled down to eat.

"How about you do your thing this time?" Kyou suggested.

"My thing?" the pastor asked, then blinked. "Oh."

She just smiled sweetly at him.

"Well…" he said, looking around the table, "…if no else minds if I break a tradition."

"I don't really care," I said.

"I'd like to hear it," Ryou added. "The last one was pretty."

He smiled briefly before closing his eyes; to my surprise, both of the girls did the same. "Lord, thank You for our time together today. Please bless us with a fun time and help us to grow closer as friends. Thank you for providing this meal through Kyou and the various vendors, and use it for our nourishment." He then opened his eyes, the girls shortly following suit.

"That was neat," Kyou said as we retrieved our chopsticks. "I-I'd like it if we got closer t-today."

"Yeah," I said as I glanced over at Ryou. "That would be nice."


	26. Heart Condition

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Heart Condition**

Our last stop of the day was, of course, the haunted mansion. "You haven't really been to the amusement park if you haven't gone through the haunted house," Kyou explained to the pastor.

"Huh…it's not like that in the States…well, whatever," he muttered with his fists on his hips as he faced the gloomy-looking attraction.

"Let's help Onee-chan," Ryou whispered to me as she took my arm.

"N-No problem there," I whispered back; truth was, I had been hoping to go to the mansion just to have her hold my arm.

As Ryou and I made our way into the mansion, I looked back to see Jeff and Kyou entering with her arms wrapped around one of his, and I figured she must have received permission.

"Are they together?" Ryou asked.

"Yup; it looks like your sister's dream has come true."

"Well, part of it," she giggled, then yelped and grabbed onto me as a 'ghost' crossed our path. "S-Sorry!"

"D-Don't worry about it," I said as I tried to restart my heart. "Isn't that what this is all about?"

"Y-Yeah…"

In spite of the initial scare the attraction was pretty tame as far as haunted houses went, and we soon found ourselves back outside. "Excuse me for a minute," Jeff said. "I'd like to use the bathroom before we head back."

"We'll hang out here," I replied.

"Onee-chan…" I followed Ryou's gaze to her sister, who had a look of determination on her face.

"I-I'll be right back," she said. "I-I need to use the bathroom, too."

As she walked away from us, Ryou took my sleeve with a desperate grip. "She's…She's going to do it…she's really going to do it…"

"What? Use the bathroom?" I chuckled. "Why is that so shocking?"

"No, not that…"

"Well, than what-"

"She's going to confess to him…" she breathed.

We watched as Kyou waited outside, but not too close to, the men's restroom. Jeff came out shortly after, and Kyou waved to get his attention. He looked to us before allowing himself to be led a short distance from the bathrooms, off of the main path where she stood facing him, with her hands folded before her.

"She's really going to do it…" Ryou said under her breath, and I heard definite admiration in her tone.

Kyou finally looked up at Jeff and I could see her saying something to him as he watched her. She gestured with her hands as she spoke; I couldn't tell exactly what she was saying but I could tell that she was putting her heart into it.

"You can do it, Onee-chan…" Ryou said with anticipation in her voice.

Finally, Kyou stopped speaking and folded her hands again as she simply looked up at him with what I imagined was a hopeful expression.

Jeff rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, gesturing with his free hand as well, and I felt myself becoming anxious; what was he saying to her?

Finally, he finished speaking and briefly laid a hand on her shoulder before dropping his hand to his side.

"No…" Ryou whimpered as we watched her sister's hands fly to her mouth. "Onee-chan…"

We watched as Kyou quickly walked back toward us, wiping a hand across one cheek or the other every few steps. When she got to us she forced a smile on her face in spite of the obvious tears. "H-He was very kind," she said in a thin voice.

"Onee-chan…it's okay," Ryou said as she reached out to her sister, and Kyou let herself be pulled into an embrace, the dam bursting and tears flowing as she quietly cried.

As Ryou led her away to somewhere more private I sighed, slapped my cheeks to focus and headed over to join Jeff, who had plopped down onto a bench near the bathroom. "You okay?" I asked.

He sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I had a feeling that this was going to happen, but it didn't make it any easier," he said before looking at me out of the corner of his eye. "Did you know?"

"Yeah, I did; I didn't tell you because it wasn't my business, if that makes sense."

"I understand," he said. "You didn't think it was your place to tell me her personal information?"

"Yeah."

"Are you angry with me? For turning her down?"

"Naw, it's your choice," I said. "But I'll admit that I'd like to know why you rejected her; she's a neat girl who's a great cook and really cares about others."

"I can see that," he replied with a sad smile. "And I think that any guy who married her would be blessed…it's just that…."

"She's not a Christian?"

"Well, partly," he admitted. "I'm not supposed to be 'unequally yoked', as Scripture says, but-"

"What do you mean, 'unequally yoked'?"

"If we're not both Christian, then we won't be working toward the same goal; she might work toward family while I work toward building God's kingdom when, ideally, we should both be working toward the Kingdom. In the end, we'd just end up frustrating each other due to the philosophical differences, if nothing else."

"I think I get it well enough," I said. "But there's something else, isn't there?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking alarmed.

"I really can't put my finger on any one thing, but…well…" I started counting off on my fingers. "You're single, you're really far away from home, you seem to disagree with your pastor-"

"All right, all right," he said, waving his hands. "You got me." He leaned back on the bench as he rubbed vigorously as his face. "Since you're a friend, I'll tell you why I refused her…just give me a minute…"

I watched as he took several deep breaths; it looked like he was steeling his nerves or something.

Finally, he straightened up and turned as much as he could to face me directly. "The truth is, Tomoya…I'm a widower."

* * *

Once again, we boys had been relegated to the handles as the girls sat, which suited me just fine. Like last time, Pastor Ashton watched the scenery, but he seemed more subdued than during our trip out, which was unsurprising. Ryou held her sister, who simply stared with vacant eyes.

I had learned a lot about Pastor Ashton during our talk at the amusement park, and he had given me permission to tell Kyou pretty much anything she might want to know. "I want her to know that it's not because of her, that it's not her fault," he had said, and so I tried to remember everything he had told me.

In spite of the gloom, the ride was over quickly, and we found ourselves outside the station once again.

Jeff came up to me and put his arm around my shoulders. "Listen, Tomoya," he said in a voice heavy with emotion, "could you make sure she gets home okay? Normally I'd walk with her, but…"

"I got it," I said. "I'll take care of it…or her, that is."

"Thanks," he said, his voice tight. He then clapped me on the shoulder before turning and heading in the direction of the church. Ryou looked at me with concerned eyes, but I shook my head slightly, hopefully letting her know that it was fine.

We walked slowly, keeping Kyou between us as we headed for Furukawa Bakery; Ryou held her sister's hand while I kept mine rested on her shoulder. Even though her face was expressionless I could tell that she was hurting badly; she had invested a lot of time, energy and, most of all, heart into the pastor, after all.

We arrived at the bakery to find Sanae-san working on closing up shop for the day. "Ah, Okazaki-san, Kyou…chan…" she trailed off as she focused on the girl between us. "What happened?"

"Let's talk inside," I said.

As we settled around the kotatsu, Sanae and Nagisa brought out tea and a few biscuits. "I hope you had a good time today," the younger Furukawa said.

"Thank you for the tickets," I said, bowing. "And yeah, we had a great time…for the most part."

"I see that Kyou-chan's day could have gone better," Sanae observed as she examined my friend's expression. "What happened?"

Kyou remained silent, so her sister answered. "She…confessed to someone but was rejected."

"Was Pastor Ashton kind about it?" she asked, then blinked as Kyou flinched.

"From what we could tell, he was," I replied. "Sanae-san, I'm sorry to ask this, but…could you…I dunno…pamper her tonight?"

She smiled kindly as she stroked my friend's long hair. "It would be my pleasure," she said softly.

* * *

I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck as Ryou and I left the bakery. "Let me walk you home," I said. "I…kinda need to be around friends right now."

"You're a good man, Okazaki-kun," Ryou said as we walked. "Being a good friend to Onee-chan, helping her with Pastor Ashton, being a good friend to him…" she stopped, causing me to stop as well. "You're amazing…"

"If I was so amazing, your sister would be dating him right now," I grunted. "If I was so amazing, you and I would still be together."

"That's not true," she said softly. "I broke up with you because there's someone out there who's better for you than I am. I'm…" She cast her gaze to the ground, then quickly turned and started walking again.

"…Not good enough?" I scoffed as I fell into step with her. "If anything, I'm not good enough for you!"

She said nothing, but whimpered quietly.

"I'm sorry," I said as I tried to lay my hand on her shoulder, then winced as she jerked her shoulder away. "I'm sorry for yelling."

"It's okay, Okazaki-kun," she said, her voice strained. "I deserved it."

I didn't know what to say to her for the rest of the way to her home.


	27. Supporting Roles

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Supporting Roles**

The next day, I stopped by Furukawa Bakery to check on Kyou. I'd never seen her upset like that before so I was worried about her.

"She's doing fine," Sanae said when I asked; Nagisa and Akio had taken Kyou out grocery shopping. "We took a bath, I brushed her hair, and she went to bed without fuss."

"You make her sound like a little girl," I half-joked.

"In a sense, that's what she is right now; girls' hearts are very sensitive, and hers was broken last night," she replied with a gentle smile.

It made sense; while she could be as vicious as any boy under the right circumstances, Kyou could also be very caring and loving toward others. Of course, I hadn't seen much of the former lately, which was a relief.

"She is a very sweet girl who was hurt while making herself vulnerable."

"But Jeff-I mean, Pastor Ashton didn't mean-"

"It doesn't matter what he meant as far as how it affected her," Sanae replied. "Pastor Ashton is a very kind man and I'm sure he let her down as gently as he could, but it still hurt her."

"I get that," I said with a sigh. "Do you know when she'll be back? I want to talk to her about him…I mean, if she's up to it."

"She should be back by lunch," she said with her usual smile. "You're welcome to wait here if you wish; I wouldn't mind the company."

I had to admit that it was tempting; Sanae was a lot of fun to talk to, but… "Thanks, but I probably should check on the pastor; he seemed pretty shaken up by last night, too."

"He's such a good man," she said. "I do hope he's all right."

* * *

"Glory to God, Pastor Ash-oh, wait…I'm answering the door, not the phone," he grunted as he rubbed at his eyes. "Oh, Tomoya; good morning."

"Doesn't look like it," I observed. "Did you sleep okay last night?"

"I'm not sure," he said, leaning heavily against the doorway. "Man, I hope I don't get any home-visit calls today; I need a day off from my day off. Come on in," he said, waving me inside. "I'll assume that you're here to check up on me."

"Yeah," I admitted with a chuckle as I passed through the doorway. "I'm worried about you and Kyou, to be honest."

"Thanks," he said. "Have you seen her yet?"

"Not yet. I stopped by the bakery, but only Sanae-san was there; apparently the other two had taken her out to help with shopping."

"I see," he said as we entered his office. "I feel bad that I upset her, but…"

"Jessica," I said, to which he simply nodded as we settled into our chairs. "Yeah, I'd like to talk to you about her if that's-"

I was interrupted by his desk phone. "Sorry," he said. "I'll try to make this quick."

I watched his expression as he took the call. It was interesting watching how he handled it; even though he was obviously tired he managed to find the energy to be polite and kind and thoughtful.

"Okay," he said as he wrote something on a piece of paper. "I'll be over shortly."

"Everything okay?" I asked as he hung up.

He looked at me and sighed heavily. "Sorry, but…well, it's a home visit."

"Figures," I grunted as we both rose to our feet. "What's the matter?"

"A man died in a bus accident, leaving behind a wife and two kids," he explained as we headed back to the main doors. "I need to make sure the family's doing okay…all things considered."

"Can I come?" I asked.

"Tomoya, this is serious; there will be tears and stories and…well, children."

"I won't get in your way…I promise," I said as we stopped just before the main doors.

He studied me for a minute. "All right, fine," he conceded. "Just…let me do the talking, okay?"

I thought back to the situation with the Miyazawas; I'd have to follow up on that another time. "Understood, sir."

"Good," he said as he reached for the handle. "Let's go, then."

We had been walking for several minutes when I got the feeling that we were being followed. I looked behind us to find… "Uh, Pastor? We're, uh, being followed…I think."

He glanced over his shoulder, did a double-take, then came to a complete stop. "Hoo boy…"

"G-Good morning," Ryou greeted as she walked up to us with her sister in tow. "We were coming to the church because we heard that Okazaki-kun had stopped by the bakery earlier."

"Did you see us leaving or something?" I asked.

She nodded. "Where are you going…I-If you don't mind m-me asking?"

Jeff and I looked at each other, and I pressed my lips together, hopefully communicating to him that I wouldn't say anything. "We're headed to a home visit," he said. "Bus accident victim's family."

"How terrible," Ryou said sympathetically. "M-May we come along?"

Jeff and I looked at each other again. "It's your call, boss," I said, acknowledging my position. "But if you ask me, they'd be good for the kids, if nothing else."

He sighed as his eyes briefly lost focus, and I took the opportunity to glance over at Kyou to check on her; she watched Jeff's face with what looked like a mixture of sadness and hope.

"All right," he finally said. "But we need to hurry; they're waiting, and I've already made us later with this."

As he moved off at a faster pace, Ryou and I exchanged relieved smiles before hurrying to catch up.

* * *

"Thank you for coming," the young woman said in a trembling voice. "Please excuse the mess; I wanted to have the place ready for when you arrived."

"Please don't worry about it," Pastor Ashton said in a kind voice as he entered her home; Ryou followed him in, still holding hands with her sister who followed, while I brought up the rear. "You have a lot going on right now. How are you holding up? Are you doing okay?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," she replied as she settled onto her couch, wiping her eyes. She gestured to a couple of small children playing on the floor; the older kid looked to be about six years old. "I have to be strong for the children right now; they're wondering when their dad's going to be home."

"Well, for now, let us be strong for you," he said, indicating himself along with the rest of us. How could he be so strong with as tired as he was? "How old are they?" he asked, indicating the children playing on the floor, blissfully ignorant of our presence it seemed.

"The younger one, Aiko, is three and her older brother, Kazuo, is six."

"How precious," he said with a gentle smile as he looked down at them.

The boy looked up from his activities and his eyes widened as he saw us. "M-Mommy? Who are all these people?"

"They're here to visit us for a while," she said, forcing a smile to her face. "Why don't you say 'hi'?"

"Hey, kiddo," Jeff greeted, dipping his head in a bow. "I'm Pastor Ashton; nice to meet you."

The boy wrinkled his nose. "What a funny name."

"Kazuo!" his mother scolded. "Don't be rude!"

"Sorry."

As Jeff continued his conversation, I looked over to check on the twins. Ryou was watching the exchange between the boy and Pastor Ashton with interest, but Kyou was obviously watching the little girl as she watched her brother talk with the pastor. I subtly waved a hand to get Kyou's attention then angled my head toward the girl as a hint.

A smile flickered across her face, and she slid from her seat onto the floor next to the girl. "Hiya, cutie! What's your name?"

The girl eyed her warily. "Aiko."

"What a pretty name for such a pretty girl," Kyou cooed.

"Th-Thank you."

As the two started to play, I shifted my attention to Ryou, who was still transfixed by Pastor Ashton's conversation with the boy. I was transfixed myself as I watched her expressions change; sometimes her eyes would widen, or her lips would part slightly before resolving into a smile…but most of the time she had a peaceful expression, which warmed my heart.

I couldn't help myself; I was still madly in love with Fujibayashi Ryou.

* * *

Jeff rubbed vigorously at his face as we left the house. "I…am…exhausted!" he exclaimed, leaning heavily against a wall once we were a good distance away from the house. "You kids can go on ahead; I need a minute or two to pull myself together."

"Naw, we'll stay with you," I said.

"It wouldn't be right to leave you behind," Ryou remarked.

Kyou quietly moved up behind the pastor and started carefully massaging his back. "Ah, that feels great," he grunted as he closed his eyes. "I need that after a day like this…thanks Jessi-" His eyes snapped open and he quickly whipped his head around to see Kyou stepping away from him. "Um…"

"I'm sorry," she squeaked, clasping her hands before her.

He looked at me, and I did my best to give him an apologetic look. His sigh and nod told me that he understood. "Let's go to my office," he grunted again as he heaved himself from the wall. "I guess I have some explaining to do."


	28. A Brief History Lesson

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Brief History Lesson**

"I know I've told you a little bit about myself," Pastor Ashton grunted as he settled into his seat behind the desk. "But before I explain…how's everyone doing?"

No one else spoke, so I took the initiative. "Tired. I probably spent half the night awake, worrying about…about…my friends."

"I appreciate that, Tomoya," he said warmly. "Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks Tomoya," I heard Kyou echo, and I looked over to see her giving me a small smile.

Overcome by a sudden bout of shyness, I averted my gaze to the floor.

"How about you, Ryou?"

She smiled self-consciously and gave her sister's hand a squeeze. "Same as O-Okazaki-kun; worried about Onee-chan and about you."

"Thank you very much," he said warmly once again, then directed an awkward gaze toward Kyou. "How about-"

"Can I pass on this?" she interrupted.

He snapped his mouth shut, then quickly nodded. "Sure. Sorry."

"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked, trying to give him a push.

"Story. Right." He ran his fingers through his hair, stopping to scratch a particular spot. "To be honest, everything I'm about to tell you Tomoya already knows 'cause I told him at the park yesterday."

"That's why I stopped by this morning, Kyou," I said in response to her look of surprise. "So I could tell you his side of things, and so you could ask questions."

"But now she has the source before her," Jeff said, leaning forward on his desk.

"So…" I prompted again.

"Right. The fact of the matter is; I'm…well…I'm a widower."

Ryou gasped as her older sister's eyes grew wide. "You…what…?" Kyou asked.

"I was married before, but, um…my wife died," he said with a heavy sigh that almost made my chest ache. "Her name was Jessica, which was why I mistakenly referred to you as her," he directed to Kyou. "She would massage my back after particularly rough sessions, so when you…you know…"

"I got it," Kyou said quietly. "I'm sorry if I made you remember something sad."

"It's not like that," he objected. "It actually brought back good memories, which was why it was shocking, in a way."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Ryou offered sympathetically. "I can't imagine what it must have been like."

"Like-" He cut himself off with a tight smile. "Well, let's just say that I sincerely hope that none of you have to go through anything similar."

I groaned as I felt a throbbing in my head, and I saw Nagisa lying on a futon with a baby next to her, and she looked so tired…

"Okazaki-kun, are you all right?" Ryou's worried voice penetrated the fog in my head. "Should we call a doctor?"

I reached out, and I felt her take my hand. "No…I'm okay…I'm just…" The pain subsided as the fog lifted. "That was weird; I saw Furukawa with a baby."

"She's a little too young to be having a baby, isn't she?" Jeff asked.

I shook my head. "The legal age for marriage for girls is sixteen, but…she looked older…not like 'old' older, but older than she is now."

"More mature?" Ryou suggested as she released my hand, much to my disappointment.

"Yeah."

"It might be a vision," Pastor Ashton suggested. "It might be showing you a possibility of…something."

I raised my head enough to give him a look of disbelief. "You really believe in visions? That's just stuff that's in manga and anime."

"And the Bible," he countered. "Joseph was given visions to help with interpreting the pharaoh's dream."

"Oh, yeah," I said, remembering the story that I'd read; it had been a while since I'd read Genesis. "And the guy I'm reading about now is getting a bunch of them. Now I feel kinda stupid."

"Okazaki-kun…" Ryou giggled.

"It's just a suggestion," Jeff said. "If you are seeing other possibilities we'd have no way to prove it of course, but it'd be good to keep it in mind."

"Tell me about Jessica," Kyou said abruptly.

"Whoa, subject whiplash!" he laughed. "Fair enough; we did get off-topic." He crossed his arms. "Well, she was a really pretty girl; long, reddish-brown hair, green eyes…"

"How tall was she?" Ryou asked, clearly getting into it.

"I never learned how tall she was in feet-and-inches, but she came up to about here on me," he said while holding his hand level just below his shoulder. "Five-five maybe? I don't know what that would be in metric."

"What did you like about her?" she followed up.

A smile grew across his face, and from the look in his eyes I could see him going back, back to a happier, simpler time. "Well, obviously I thought she was pretty, but…it's hard to qualify…" He tugged at his ear for some reason. "The best way I could describe it is that she had a heart for other people."

"What does that mean?" Kyou asked.

"I'm getting to that," he said with a raised hand and a small smile. "If she cared about you, you knew it…and she cared about everybody. I get the impression that you're impressed with how loving I am toward other people…I think she's the one who drew out that part of me."

I glanced over at the twins: Ryou was watching him with rapt attention, while Kyou still had her somewhat lost expression…but from knowing her I could tell she was hanging on his every word.

"She sounds like a wonderful girl," Ryou said with admiration.

"She was," he said with a tight voice.

"You must have really loved her," Kyou added, sounding depressed. "No wonder you turned me down."

He turned around and picked up something from the top of the short bookcase behind him. "She's the one on the far right," he said as he placed a framed photo on the front of the desk. We looked and, sure enough, a pretty red-haired girl smiled at us.

"She's beautiful…" Ryou breathed.

Kyou leaned forward for a closer look. "Wow…" she said, clearly impressed.

"How long were you two married?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I wanted to make sure that Kyou knew as well.

"Five years," he replied easily. "And most of that was spent in the hospital."

"The hospital?" the twins both echoed. "Why?"

"Breast cancer."

Almost as one, they slumped back in their seats with looks of shock.

He picked up the photo and traced his fingers over her image. "We had been married for a year-and-a-half when she was diagnosed. We fought it for over three years, but it had been caught too late; we prayed, did chemo, but…yeah."

"I'm sorry," Kyou said, grief clear in her expression. "If I had known, I wouldn't have-"

"It's not your fault," he said gently. "I'll admit that part of me is happy that I'm still good-looking enough at thirty-two to attract someone as pretty as you are."

My eyebrows jumped at the revelation of his age. Of course I already knew, but…

The twins' reaction was…different. "Y-You really think Onee-chan is pretty?" Ryou said in disbelief.

"Sure," he said. "I haven't lost my eye for beauty, I'm just committed to my wife."

"But she's-"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted, holding up my hand to stop Ryou; I knew what she was going to say, but I also knew that it would be a bad idea. "This might sound weird, but I'd like to talk to Pastor in private for a minute. Could you two wait outside?"

"Actually, why don't you and I step out for a minute?" he suggested. "I don't think we should make the ladies leave."

I quickly agreed and we headed for the main entrance.

* * *

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked once we were outside.

"'It's not good for Man to be alone'," I quoted to the best of my ability.

In spite of his fatigue he managed to laugh heartily. "I was wondering when you would bring that up," he chuckled. "Yes, I've thought of that myself. I've also thought about what Paul wrote about being single as unto the Lord, and I've wondered if that's what He wants me to do."

"Why would He give you Jessica if He intended you to be single?" I challenged.

"I've wondered that, too," he admitted. "Maybe that was supposed to be the time for me to be married, but now I'm supposed to devote all of my time to Him. Paul had to be married to be a Pharisee, you know."

"Are you saying that you couldn't do that if you were married?"

He looked at me they way that I'd seen parents look at their children when they'd said something clever. "If I got married again, my time would be divided between pleasing God and pleasing my wife."

"Did you have that problem with Jessica?"

"No, Tomoya, but…" he trailed off, then chuckled again. "Are you on the debate team at school, or something?"

I shook my head with a wry grin. "Of course not; I'm a recovering delinquent, remember?"

"Right, right…" he looked up at the sky, and I wondered if he was going to pray or something. "Honestly, I have been feeling a bit of a push to marry again."

"Why?" I would come up with as many questions as I could think of to help him…and Kyou.

He sighed heavily. "Part of me wants to share this adventure with someone. I know that God's always with me but, as you pointed out, having a helpmate – a wife – is part of His design, so…"

"What about Kyou?"

He chuckled softly. "You're really pushing… How old is she, anyway?"

"Seventeen…she'll turn eighteen next month."

"Fifteen years…wow…" he mused. "Why is she so interested in an old man like me, anyway?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted, "but I think she just likes the kind of person you are. I think she fell for you when you worked together on the festival set-up, but I didn't realize it at the time."

"Well, she's very forgiving or very near-sighted, falling for a guy like me," he quipped. "I guess the only problem would be…" he trailed off, giving me a meaningful look.

I understood. If Kyou wanted to be with him, she would have to become a Christian.


	29. An Eventful Lunch

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Eventful Lunch**

"Sorry to take so long," Jeff said as we reentered his office.

"It's okay," Ryou said as she and her sister examined the photograph that he had shown us earlier. "Did you take care of what you needed to?"

"Yeah," he said as he settled into his chair. "Now I just need to go all Israel for a bit."

"'Israel'?" I asked.

"Gotta wrestle with the Almighty," he explained as he brought up his hands in a boxing pose, causing the rest of us to smile along with him. "That's what 'Israel' means. But I'm done being the center of attention and, frankly, I'm hungry."

"Now that you mention it, it is lunchtime," Ryou observed.

The pastor looked sheepish for a moment. "Listen…I, uh…can't afford to treat everyone today," he admitted. "I'm not sure what to do."

The twins looked at each other and smiled. "You can let us take care of it," Ryou said as her sister reached under her seat for a familiar-looking box. "We planned on offering lunch when we came to the church earlier, but then we saw you going to your visit and…" she trailed off, shrugging her shoulders with a cute smile.

"…things got sidetracked," he finished for her. "Thank you very much, you two; not to knock cup-of-noodles, but I wasn't looking forward to having it again."

Kyou nodded with an understanding smile as she opened the box and started to pull out several smaller ones. "I'm glad that Sanae-san was willing to let me use her ingredients; it's easier at home, where I can use my own without worrying. C-Can I put this here?" she asked, indicating his desk.

"Sure, go ahead," he replied, clearing an area. "Yeah, Sanae-san is a good woman. Did you tell her that you were making this for us?"

She nodded as she pulled out another box. "Yeah, I did; she was pretty excited about it."

"And she helped Onee-chan make all of this," Ryou added.

"That's cool," I said, feeling the need to say something.

"Thank you for your hard work," Jeff said warmly.

"Y-you're welcome," Kyou said, her cheeks starting to color; it looked like she was starting to recover from her rejection.

The girls got everything set up and chopsticks were passed around.

"Nuts," Pastor Ashton griped as one of his chopsticks fell from his grip.

"Onee-chan…?" Ryou looked at her sister with a knowing smile.

Kyou glanced back at her with an uncertain look before looking to the pastor. "D-Do you need h-help?" she asked him.

"Please," he said as he held up a very knotted-up looking hand. "I think my technique's still wrong."

Ryou and I watched, amused, as Kyou tried to help the pastor with his grip.

"Just…like this…no, relax this finger…"

I tried to keep myself from laughing as Kyou frustrated herself over his uncooperative fingers.

Finally, she gave up and put her fists on her hips. "You need to relax your hand! I can't help you if you're all tensed up like that!"

"Sorry," he said as he put down his chopsticks to shake out his hand. "Okay, I think it'll behave this time."

She was finally able to get the chopsticks into his hand and we started eating.

"So…how are the two of you doing?" he asked as he glanced our way, and I knew he was asking about my relationship with Ryou.

"We…" I looked over at Ryou to see her looking down at her lap. "We get along," I finally decided.

"That's good," he said, then ducked slightly, to get a better look at Ryou's face I assumed. "How are you doing? Is Tomoya treating you well?"

She glanced up from under her eyelashes several time before answering. "He's very good to me…"

"I'm glad to hear that."

"…much better than he should be."

He blinked. "Now that's an interesting thing to say. Why would you say that?"

She looked around nervously before answering; she spoke so quietly I could barely hear her. "Well, he's just so handsome and cool and…so many girls like him-"

"I don't know where she gets this from," I protested. "She dumps me after doing one of her tarot card readings-"

"But all of them were there!" Ryou nearly yelled. "Onee-chan and me, Tomoyo-san, Fuuko-san, those girls from the libraries…and Nagisa-san!"

"Wait a minute," Pastor Ashton interrupted, holding up his free hand. "I recognize Tomoyo-san, and of course I know the two of you, but…who are these others?"

"Just girls I know at school," I replied. "Fuuko's a first-year whose…situation is hard to explain. The girls from the libraries are Kotomi and Yukine."

"The Miyazawa girl?" he asked.

"Yeah, and I want to ask you about her later. Anyway, and Nagisa's…well, you know her; the daughter of Akio-san and Sanae-san."

"Oh, of course!" he exclaimed, then dropped his chopsticks. "Aw, nuts."

"So she told me that any of them would be better for me than her, and dumped me," I finished.

"Why do you think you're not good enough for him?" he asked as he tried to fit his chopsticks back in his grip.

"Well, Tomoyo-san-"

"I didn't ask about her; I asked about you," he interrupted. "What is it about you that makes you unfit to be his girlfriend?"

"Pastor, she's-"

"Tomoya, be quiet," he ordered, and I'd never heard him talk so seriously or look so stern before, so I simply nodded and pinched my lips together. "Ryou, tell me why you're not good enough for him."

"I…I…"

I glanced at him, half-expecting him to say something to help her, but he just looked at her with a stern yet gentle gaze.

"I'm not…I'm not…"

"What aren't you?" he prompted. "What are you lacking?"

She repeatedly fisted her hands, and I could hear the chopsticks creak each time she did; I was afraid they would break. "I'm not good enough."

"At what?"

"Why are you asking me these things?!" she yelled, trembling as she jumped from her seat. "I'm not a good cook like Onee-chan or Nagisa-san! I'm not strong like Tomoyo-san! And the girls in the libraries are probably smarter than I am or they wouldn't be there!"

I sat in what must have been open-mouthed shock; I had never heard her yell like that before. She'd cried out in a panic before, but never yelled in anger like she was here. "Ry-Ryou…?"

She turned furious eyes on me. "And why are you still trying to get back with me? You could have any girl in the school!"

"But I'm not-"

"SHUT UP, TOMOYA!" she cried as, to my complete surprise, she lunged for me. "Why do you want me?"

"Ryou, stop!" Kyou cried as she grabbed onto her sister's shoulders.

"Something's wrong with her!" Jeff said as he hurried around the desk.

"No shit!" I yelled as I held her by the wrists. I had no idea what she would do if I let go, but considering she had relatively long fingernails, I didn't want to risk finding out.

"She's not acting like herself!" Kyou cried as she grabbed her sister around the waist and pulled her from me.

"I'm worthless! I'M WORTHLESS!" Ryou screamed as she struggled, causing my blood to freeze. What had gotten into her?

"Ryou, calm down!" Kyou cried. "You're scaring me!"

"I've never done this before, but…" He gripped my shoulder, and I could feel him trembling. "All right, Tomoya; I need you and Kyou to hold her. I don't know how she'll react to what I'm about to do."

"What are you going to do?" I demanded, giving him my best glare.

"I don't have time to explain," he said, though his voice wavered. "I need you to trust me."

I glared at him a moment longer before launching myself from the chair to take one of Ryou's arms; Kyou shifted her grip so she had the other arm. "Now what?" I barked.

His eyes were closed and I could see his lips moving. What the hell was he doing? Praying? At a time like this?

After what seemed like forever he opened his eyes. "In the name of Jesus, I command you to come out of her!"

"NO!" Ryou screamed. "I'M WORTHLESS!"

"Let her go!" Pastor Ashton demanded. "She belongs to God, not to you!"

"What the hell is that supposed to do?" I yelled as Ryou arched her back, nearly throwing me off.

"You spirit of despair, come out of her! I command you in the name of Jesus!" he ordered.

The whole thing seemed so surreal, and I felt like I was living out one of those animes; Jeff yelling at my ex-girlfriend as she screamed her worthlessness in agonized tones.

Finally, she screamed so loudly that I thought my eardrums would shatter. Then, she collapsed, panting and coughing.

"RYOU!" Kyou wailed, gathering her sister in her arms and crying hysterically. "Ryou…Ryou…"

I felt a trickle from my nose and pressed the back of my hand against it, only to find blood on it when I pulled it back. I looked over to Jeff to find him on his butt on the floor, and I made my way over and offered my hand.

"I'm…just going to sit here for a few minutes if no one minds," he said, sounding somewhat hoarse.

"What did you just do?" I asked, feeling my blood pressure finally start to become more normal in spite of my fried nerves.

"That, boys and girls," he gasped, "was the casting out of a spirit…an exorcism."


	30. Desired Effects

**Chapter Thirty: Desired Effects**

Ryou's hand trembled as she accepted the cup of water. "Th-Thank you."

"Are you okay?" the older twin asked; she had been holding her sister ever since Pastor Ashton had finished the 'exorcism'. "Do you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm…a little tired," the younger twin replied. "My muscles are kind of sore, too."

"I'll bet," Jeff said as he wrestled with his chopsticks. "You're stronger than you think."

"I'm…sorry if I hurt either of you," she said with a voice filled with regret.

"Don't worry about it," I said, laying a hand on her head. "Kyou and I can hold our own."

"It wasn't you, anyway," Jeff remarked. "Was it?"

Ryou's eyes lost focus. "It was, but it wasn't. I was aware of what my body was doing, but I didn't feel like I was in control…completely, that is."

"That's what I figured," he said just before downing an onigiri. "How long have you hated yourself, sweetheart?"

"I don't…really hate myself…" she said, then gently took her head as she wobbled in her seat. "I feel so light-headed."

"I've heard that that can happen after…this kind of thing…" he said awkwardly. "So how do you feel about yourself…or maybe a better question would be: What do you think of yourself?"

She looked from her sister's kind smile to me, then to the floor. "I'm what was left after Onee-chan was born."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "You make it sound like you think you're the leftovers or something."

She nodded slowly. "That's exactly it; Onee-chan got all the good stuff and I got the leftovers."

Kyou's face fell almost instantly and she held her sister even tighter. "Ryou…you don't really believe that, do you?"

Ryou raised an arm to interrupt the tears that otherwise fell to her lap. "You're so outgoing and pretty and everyone likes you and you can cook and you're so strong…"

"Hold on a minute," Jeff said, stopping her tirade with a hand. "You have value, too."

"No, I don't-"

"Wait, hear me out," he interrupted, and I briefly imagined her going ballistic again. "Your value – anyone's value – doesn't come from being strong or able to cook or anything like that."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she and Kyou both looked at him with teary eyes.

He smiled, and I could swear that a glow like sunlight came from him. "Oh, your value comes from something much greater, much more than just strength or skill…it comes from God."

Had I heard him say this any time before, I would have rejected it off-hand. But after what I had seen…

"He knew you before you were born," Jeff, now in 'Full-Pastor Mode', continued. "He loved you long before your parents conceived you, even before your parents themselves were conceived."

Ryou expression looked uncertain, but hopeful.

"When He created light, he knew and loved you. When Adam and Eve sinned, he knew and loved you. The flood, the exile…Ryou, He knew you and He loved you. Even when Japan went through all of its god-emperors He knew and loved you. Even now, with you thinking so little of yourself, He knows you and loves you."

"B-But why?" she stammered, "…wh-why does he love me?"

Pastor Ashton's smile turned softer than I had ever seen; he must have really been in his element. "Because that's what He is. If He stopped loving, He'd stop being God, Yahweh, Elohim…" he trailed off, looking at her like she was his own daughter; I thought I even saw a tear escape his eye. "And because I'm His and He loves you, I love you too, sweetheart."

"Y-You do?" she asked with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Hey, I just got through fighting a spirit or maybe even a demon for you," he said, and now the tears were unmistakable; he didn't even seem ashamed of it, if he even noticed them in the first place. "And I did that because He and I love you."

"I…need to think about this…" Ryou said, sounding really tired.

"Okay," he said, still giving her a fatherly gaze. "I'm sorry for dumping so much on you at once; It's tough for me to stop once I get going."

I chuckled along with the twins. "Maybe we should focus on eating for now; it'd be a shame to waste Kyou's cooking."

"Yeah, and I worked hard on it," Kyou complained, though half-heartedly. She then turned and gave her sister a loving kiss on the cheek. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I feel…funny," Ryou admitted as she picked up a pork cutlet. "But I'm starting to feel better."

Jeff angled his head from side to side, and I could hear light cracking sounds. "That's good to hear. You're very blessed to have a sister like Kyou and a boyfr-a friend like Tomoya with you."

"I r-really am," she said as she cast a shy glance my way.

"Thanks," Kyou and I said at the same time, then looked at each other and shared awkward smiles.

* * *

"Give yourself the rest of the day off," Pastor Ashton ordered as Kyou and I walked on either side of Ryou to see her home. "You've had a long day already."

"Yes, Ashton-sensei," Ryou giggled as she waved daintily. "Thank you and have a good day."

"You too, sweetheart," he called as we departed.

I watched him go back inside the church before fully devoting my attention to the road ahead. "That guy had better get some sleep; he busted his ass today."

"No kidding," Kyou agreed. "I can't believe he pushed himself that much!"

"It's what he does…" I grunted, then shook my head. "Actually, it's who he is."

"You're right," Ryou said. "What an amazing man; I think I know why Onee-chan likes him so much."

"I didn't know he could do that," the older twin said. "But I'll admit that he looked really cool doing that…whatever it was."

"Still want to be part of his world?" I asked with an impish grin.

"Absolutely," she replied without hesitation.

I sighed heavily. "You understand that he can't be with you unless you're a Christian, right?"

"I understand," she said. "It's just that…well, I…" She ran her fingers through her hair. "I just feel like I'm supposed to be with him or something, like I'm supposed to be by his side, supporting him, helping him."

My eyes widened as I remembered my earlier conversation with him: _"I know that God's always with me but, as you pointed out, having a helpmate – a wife – is part of His design, so…"_

This was getting really weird…not like it wasn't weird enough already. "Um, Kyou? By any chance, do you have a copy of the Bible?"

"What's that?" she asked.

* * *

She accepted the book from me with a puzzled expression. "So this is what he reads?"

I nodded; I was still uncomfortable with the idea, but if she really wanted to be with him… "Yeah. It's hard to explain, but it's not a book of rules or laws and it's not just a history book…" I scratched my head as I tried to remember what the pastor had told me. "It's…kinda both? Neither?" Finally, my addled brain remembered: "It's a history of God's relationship with us," I said. "It's…to help us understand him or something like that."

"Okay," she nodded. "I don't get all of that, but reading this should help clear things up." She smiled as she laid a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks, Tomoya."

"You're welcome," I said, feeling the heat rising in my face. "Just…be careful with it okay? It's my copy," I told her, which was the truth; I had purchased it a couple of weeks prior, and had left the girls at the bakery and run home to grab it.

"I'll be careful," she said as she flipped open the book. "This'll be kinda fun!"

"Onee-chan…" Ryou giggled as she rested on the bench just outside the bakery.

"Well!" a pleasant voice sounded, and we looked to see Sanae exit the shop and stand next to Kyou. "Can anyone join in, or is this exclusive?"

"Hey, Sanae-san," I greeted with a smile; seeing her was always a treat. "No, you can join us but I don't know how interesting we'll be right now."

"Speak for yourself," Kyou grunted, her nose buried in the book.

"Ah, is this one of Pastor Jeff's books?" Sanae asked, trying to look over Kyou's shoulder – or arm, really.

"It's Tomoya's copy," the older twin replied absently. "He's letting me borrow it."

"I see," the older woman said with a knowing smile.

"Hey!" a masculine voice grunted, and Akio soon joined us. "You're not harassing my wife, are you?" Before I could say anything he continued. "No, you're after my daughter…well, I won't give her to you! Either of them!"

"I'm…fine, thanks," I said, unsure of how to respond. "Your wife and daughter are…high-class, but I'm not looking."

"Akio, catch me; I think I'm going to faint," Sanae said as she fanned herself. "Okazaki-san, you have a way with words!"

"A lousy one," Kyou quipped, still buried in her book.

"Hey!" I protested.

Ryou giggled as she rose to her feet. "Onee-chan, I think I'm ready to go home, now."

"Walk her home, Tomoya," Kyou ordered, flipping a page as she turned to enter the bakery.

I shook my head with a smile as I looked over at Ryou. "Can you walk on your own? Or do you need me to support you?"

She ducked her head meekly as she looked up at me from under her eyelashes.

* * *

"Thank you for walking me home," Ryou said as we stood by the front door to her home. "Would you like to come in for tea?"

"Thanks, but I'd better not," I sad. "You've had a pretty exciting day, and I'm beat."

"I can imagine," she said with a giggle. "That's okay; I probably shouldn't have offered this time."

"Yeah." I looked into her eyes as she smiled at me, and I noticed something different about them. Maybe it was the lighting or the skin below her eyes…I wasn't sure. "Fujibayashi? May I…hug you again? I'll try not to cry this time."

Her eyes glistened as she studied me. "I'd like that," she finally said.

I reached out and carefully pulled her to me, resting my hands on the back of her head and the small of her back. I could smell the sweetness of her shampoo along with a slight sweaty smell. Her hair felt so soft and her body felt so warm. She felt…perfect.

We pulled away from each other too soon, and I looked down into her eyes again. They looked so clear, so lovely…I lowered my head toward hers and…we kissed…oh man, it had been so long. I savored the feeling of her lips against mine, my overwhelmed brain doing its best to memorize her touch.

We pulled away yet again and touched foreheads as we looked into each other's eyes.

We separated with great reluctance and she unlocked her front door. She opened it and then turned to look at me over her shoulder. "Good night, Tomoya-kun."

I floated all the way home.


	31. Home Caring

**Chapter Thirty-One: Home Caring**

 _Rrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggg…_

I groaned as I rolled over and smacked my alarm clock, fortunately hitting it in just the right place to cancel the alarm. Yesterday had been the bear that mauled me, and I was still recovering from my proverbial injuries.

I rolled out of bed onto all fours and stayed there for several minutes, taking deep breaths as I tried to wake up. I was finally able to drag myself to my feet and head to the bathroom to take a shower; I had basically fallen in bed in my clothes the previous night, and I stunk.

I started to feel more alive as the water hit me, and my brain was able to start processing the previous day's events. Pastor Jeff doing his whatever-he-did was certainly a surprise, but Ryou's…panic attack?…was even more surprising; I'd never seen her act like that before, and I hoped I never would again.

I did my usual washing stuff, drying stuff, getting dressed stuff, and ate a quick breakfast before heading out the door.

My plan was to check on Jeff, but I decided to stop by the bakery on the way to check on Kyou.

I found the twins sitting on the bench just outside the shop, chatting away. "Hey, you two," I greeted.

"'Morning, Tomoya," Kyou replied.

"Good morning, Tomoya-kun," Ryou said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a log, but I still woke up groggy," I said, rubbing my face yet again. "How about you?"

She smiled self-consciously. "I slept all right; yesterday was exciting enough to make me sleepy." I wasn't sure if she was referring to what happened at the church, our kiss last night, both, or neither. "Are you going to visit Ashton-sensei again?"

"Yeah," I said. "After yesterday's stuff, I wanted to make sure that he's okay."

"We'll come with you," Kyou said as she got to her feet, her sister following suit.

We talked about nothing in particular as we made our way to the now-familiar building, and I knocked on the main door. We waited for a few seconds before I knocked again. "Pastor Ashton? Jeff?" I called.

I was about to knock again when the door opened. "Glory to God, Pastor Ash-gah, I did it again," he muttered, and I noticed that he sounded congested. "Come on in," he said. "Just don't get too close to me."

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I think with all the excitement lately, I burned myself out," he sniffed as we headed to his office. "My head was pounding when I woke up, but at least it settled down after a hot shower." He fell into his chair and sniffed at us. "What can I do for you today?"

The three of us looked at each other. "We should be asking you that," I said with a chuckle. "You look terrible, boss."

"Thanks," he said with a snort. "I guess if you'd be willing to get me something with vitamin C in it, that'd be great." He opened one of the drawers on his desk and started rummaging around in it.

"I can do better than that," Kyou said proudly as she got up from her seat. "Wait here; I'll be back before long."

Ryou and I smiled at each other as she left.

"What's going on?" he asked. "What's she going to do?"

I shook my head, smile still in place. "All I can say is 'prepare yourself'."

* * *

Kyou returned with a bulging bag and, after fussing Jeff into his bed, found the kitchen and got to work. "Ryou, could you help me?"

"What about me?" I asked. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Not really, but thanks for asking," Kyou said. "Could you leave the kitchen, though? You're kind of a distraction right now."

"Sure," I said, then ambled down the hall to Jeff's room. It had never occurred to me that he had to live somewhere; I must have unconsciously assumed that he lived in a house or apartment somewhere.

"This is really embarrassing," he complained as I entered his room. "Being waited on by a high-schooler."

"Hey, don't knock it," I said with a smile. "At least you're in good hands with Kyou's cooking."

"I can't argue with that," he huffed, then coughed. "It's just that adults are supposed to take care of kids, not the other way around."

"Maybe in America," I said, "but we do things a little differently over here."

"I know," he said. "I have a lot to learn."

"Like Kyou is above marrying age, so calling her a 'kid' is a little insulting," I pointed out.

"Yes, Okazaki-sensei," he said with a resigned smile, then coughed roughly. "Man, I feel terrible."

"Just relax and let us take care of things for now, okay?" I said as I crossed my arms.

"Okay, Tomoya," he sighed. "Please take care of me."

I gave him a couple of reassuring pats on the shoulder before heading out to his office; it was far enough away that I couldn't hear the noise from the kitchen, but close enough that I could hear if someone called me. I plopped down in one of the chairs in front of the desk, tilted my head back and closed my eyes.

I thought about everything that had happened up until now; all the promises to help Tomoyo and Fuuko – crap, I still needed to help her – Ryou dumping me, meeting Pastor Jeff for the first time...and the second…helping with the festival, finding out Kyou's attraction to the American… "…and Ryou's panic attack yesterday…" I mumbled before smiling, "…and our kiss…"

She had even called me 'Tomoya-kun' again, just like when we were dating. "She called me that this morning, too." Did that mean we were dating again? "Argh, I'll just play this out and see what happens; no sense overthinking it."

Then there was the situation with Pastor Jeff's religion. I'd been feeling hints of it sneaking into my thinking, starting back when I read the Old Testament back at this library with…Kotomi? Was that her name? "Ugh, I was supposed to take it easy this year," I complained, though half-heartedly. Really, it hadn't been bad at all; some of the stories in the book had been…upsetting…but I liked the idea of an all-powerful being who would come through for me. The trick was that I had to believe that he existed in the first place. "Well, Pastor believes, and he's a lot happier than most people I've seen…wouldn't hurt to give it a shot…"

I jumped as the phone rang and quickly picked it up, and…what was I supposed to say? I had reflexively picked it up just so Pastor Jeff wouldn't hear it and try to get up. I took a deep breath as I remember his greeting: "G-Glory to-G-God, O-Okazaki speaking." I felt weird saying that.

" _Hello? Is this Ashton-sensei?"_ a female voice asked.

"No, I'm Okazaki Tomoya; Pastor Jeff is…he's…" It might've been a bad idea to tell her that he was sick, so…I swallowed hard. "I-I'm sorry; he's not available right now. Can I help you? What's going on?"

" _There was a very bad accident about a half-hour ago; one of the intercity trains hit a bus, and a lot of people were taken to the hospital, many of them critically injured."_

An image of how that could have played out flashed in my mind's eye. "How awful…"

" _We were hoping that he could come and minister to the injured; he's come before, but if he's not available…"_

I pressed my fist to my mouth, and I could feel it shaking; those people needed him, but with as sick as he was… "I…I'll be there as soon as I can, ma'am."

" _Are you a pastor as well?"_

"N-No ma'am, b-but I'm a…a…" What was he to me? "H-He's my mentor."

" _Okay,"_ she replied, apparently satisfied. _"Just…please come as quickly as you can; some of the injured may not make it to the end of the day."_

My stomach slid to my shoes. Dead by the end of the day? And I'd been bitching about how rotten my life had been? "U-Understood," I managed. "I'll be there as fast as I can."

I hung up the phone with a shaking hand. What the hell was I doing? Going to a hospital in a town I'd never been to? To do something I'd never done before to people I didn't even know? I trembled as I hurried down the hallway to the kitchen. "H-Hey, could I t-talk with you two for a m-minute? In the office?"

"As long as it's not too long," Kyou replied as she turned down the heat on a couple of burners and wiped her hands on a nearby towel. "What's up?"

We headed to the office, and I turned to face them as they entered. "I don't know how to say this, but…I kinda promised to go to a hospital in the next town."

"You what?" Kyou asked incredulously. "What for?"

"Whoever it was asked for Jeff, but he's sick and I didn't want him to make himself sicker, so I…I told them I'd go."

Kyou gave a low whistle. "That's…pretty bold, Tomoya."

"For me, you mean?"

"For anybody," Ryou replied. "Do you know what you'd have to do?"

"I've followed him around enough that I think I have a basic idea; calm them, p-pray for them… Look, I'm scared enough right now," I said, trying to keep my voice low. "I don't want to screw this up and make him look bad."

"I understand," Ryou said. "I'll come with you."

I blinked. "Seriously?"

"I work at that hospital. It's my day off, but priests aren't called unless something really bad has happened, so they might need my help anyway," she explained, then smiled bashfully. "Besides, I-I want to...to support you."

"Then it's settled," Kyou declared. "You two go take care of whoever you need to, and I'll stay here and take care of Jeff."

Less than thirty minutes later, Ryou and I were on a train, heading to the next town…and a really big test.


	32. Hospital Visit

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Hospital Visit**

The cool air had a clean smell to it as Ryou and I passed through the automatic double-doors into the hospital. I felt oddly at peace as we walked up to the reception desk. "I'm Okazaki Tomoya, standing in for Pastor Jeff Ashton," I told her.

"Ah, yes; thank you for coming," the receptionist – 'Sakura' was the name on her nametag – said, then pointed to a hallway to my left. "The emergency rooms are down at the end of that hall; you can't miss it."

"Should I change into my uniform?" Ryou asked.

"Ah, Ryou-san!" Sakura exclaimed, clearly glad to see her. "I don't know if they have room for any more down there, but you're more than welcome to check."

"Understood," Ryou replied. "Tomoya-kun, I know where the emergency room is, so I can take you there if you want."

I grinned awkwardly. "L-Lead the way."

She gave me a cute smile before heading toward the hallway that Sakura had pointed out. It was a fairly long hallway, with many rooms on each side. "What are these for?" I asked.

"People are moved here from the main emergency room once they've been stabilized," she said. "You might be visiting people in these rooms, but for now we'll go to the main room at the end of this hall."

"Got it," I said.

An attractive girl with long black hair with purple stripes waited by the double doors at the end of the hall. "Ryou-san! Oh good, they could really use your help in there!"

"Understood," Ryou acknowledged. "Excuse me, Tomoya-kun; I need to go change."

"Okay," I said, then grinned self-consciously. "See you on the other side, I guess."

"Right through here," the attractive girl said.

"Okay…I'll just need a minute first," I told her.

She simply smiled with a nod and left me to…whatever I needed to do.

I released a shuddering breath as I turned to the nearest wall and leaned heavily against it. What the hell was I doing? On the other side of the wall were injured and dying people, and I thought that I could stand in for a pastor? Was my pride really that…? "Oh, man…"

Then I remembered; what was I there for? To take care of people to the best of my ability. I remembered how Pastor Jeff took care of the Miyazawas as well as the young mother who had lost her husband. "If you're there, God, help me do this." I took one final, deep breath and passed through the doors.

It was mayhem on the other side; people on beds filled the room, while doctors and nurses hurried from bed to bed, examining them, giving them shots…

I saw an elderly woman lying on a bed nearby, and I felt myself drawn to her. "Hello, ma'am," I greeted as my poor brain rushed to find what the pastor would do. "I'm Okazaki Tomoya, standing in for Pastor Ashton. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," she croaked, then coughed. "I'm just glad that I was at the front of the bus when the train hit, but…"

"So it hit the back of the bus?"

She nodded, coughing again.

"I-Is there anything I can do for you? C-Can I p-pray for you?"

She managed a smile as she reached up with a shaking hand, which I took in both of mine. "You poor thing; you're so nervous, aren't you? Yes, I would love it if you'd pray for me. I go to Glory to God, so I'd appreciate it."

I closed my eyes – more like squeezed them shut – and gave myself a moment to focus, then: "Lord, please help…I'm sorry, what's your name, ma'am?"

"Sakamoto, dear."

"Please help Sakamoto-san with her injuries. Help her to recover quickly so she can be with her family again. Help her to be calm and…and…let her feel your love and care for her." Where had that come from? I shook my head as I gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, dear," she said, and when I looked at her I suddenly felt a…swelling in my chest; I loved her as though she was family.

"Y-You're welcome," I managed to say as I tried to process what had just happened. "C-Call me again if you need me, okay?"

"All right. Now go on; there are others who need you right now," she said as she settled back in to her pillow.

Her words stuck in my head as I made my way to the next bed. Need me? When had I ever been needed? It felt good to hear it, but it also felt…weird.

Rather than file the thought away for later, I carried it with me as I approached the next bed holding a man with a bloodied head and neck whose eyes were closed. I had to resist the urge to walk past him, and I stopped by his bedside. "H-Hello, sir; I'm O-Okazaki Tomoya. How are you feeling?"

He cracked one eye open; the other eye was swelled shut. "How do you think I'm feeling, idiot?" he wheezed. "My damn bus driver tried to beat a train, and I lost!"

I took a step back in surprise, but tried to persevere. "I-I'm sorry… Have the doctors looked at you yet? D-Do you know…how you're hurt?"

He looked toward the ceiling. "I was at the back of the damned bus, so both of my legs are broken, I can't feel my left arm, my head got hit as you can see, and they think that some of my vertebrae are cracked. Happy now?"

My temper flared, and I wanted to snap back at him, but…he was hurting…and I realized that this man had people who loved him; a family, maybe a wife and children, or maybe he was still with his parents, any of whom would be waiting outside, worried about their daddy, husband, son…the thought nearly brought tears to my eyes. "I-I'm really sorry…"

"It's not your fault, kid," he grumped. "Just not the way I wanted to start my day."

"C-Can I pray for you?" I asked before I thought.

He eyed me warily, or at least it looked like it. Finally he closed his eye. "Fine. Do whatever you want; just don't make things worse."

"Do you mind if I touch you?" I asked. "Is there any place that would be okay?"

"My right shoulder's fine," he grunted. "Probably the only place that is."

I reached out and carefully laid my hand on the man's shoulder. "What's your name, sir?"

"Watanabe."

I closed my eyes again, and this time I felt a peace come over me, which seemed strange considering the chaos all around. "God? Watanabe-san's a mess right now, and it's not his fault. Please help him to find…to find…peace in this situation. Let him know that you haven't forgotten him, and give the doctors who treat him the knowledge to help him get back to normal."

"Or as normal as possible," Watanabe grunted.

I smiled at the addition as I gave his shoulder a very gentle squeeze. "I wish I could do more for you."

"You've done plenty, kid. Thanks."

"I'm glad I could help," I said. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Yeah," he grunted again, this time in obvious pain. "What's your name?"

I had told him already, but… "Okazaki Tomoya, sir."

"Okazaki-san? If you see my wife and kids in the waiting room, tell them I feel like crap but I'm doing okay."

"Got it."

"You're a good kid. Now get out of here; we're both busy, right?"

"Yes, sir," I replied with a smile as I headed to the next patient.

I caught glimpses of Ryou at work, hustling from bed to bed, giving shots and holding hands, washing wounds and, in some cases, pulling sheets over…I cringed as I felt a trickle down my cheek.

But there were others who needed someone there for them, to care and, in surprisingly many cases, to pray for them. And I did my best, however clumsy my words may have been, no matter how much I was snapped at, no matter how tired or drained I felt.

It felt good.

* * *

I slumped in a chair in the hallway just outside the emergency room. I had cared for so many people, including finding the Watanabe family to give them the message, but it still seemed like I hadn't done a thing.

"Here you go, young man." I looked up to find Attractive Girl smiling down at me, holding a steaming mug. "It's tea."

"Thanks." I accepted the cup and took several sips from it, mainly to wet my parched throat; I must have done a lot of talking. "I'm beat."

"Is this your first time doing this?" she asked as she sat down next to me.

I nodded tiredly. "Yeah. I wouldn't have done it at all except Pastor Jeff was sick."

She giggled softly. "So he really was unavailable."

"Yes, ma'am." I put two and two together and… "Wait…Are you the one who called?"

"I am!" she replied brightly.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember your name."

"Tanaka. Tanaka Trina. My mom named me…she's British," she explained before I could ask. "It's nice to meet you, Okazaki Tomoya."

"Nice to meet you too, Tanaka Trina," I replied, tripping over her first name. "Sorry."

"Tomoya-kun!" I looked up to see Ryou hurrying toward me. "Come with me, please!"

She seemed panicked, so I quickly gave Tanaka my mug and got to my feet. "What's going on?"

She spoke quickly as we half-ran. "One of the patients has asked for a priest."

My pace faltered as I realized what that meant: Someone was close to death.


	33. Sending Her Home

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Sending Her Home**

I stared at Room 12. I knew that on the other side of that door someone lay dying, surrounded by family.

Maybe it was due in part to exhaustion, maybe it was due to my recognition of my own ineptitude…

"I…I-I c-can't do this," I said, shaking uncontrollably. "Th-They n-need a real p-pastor. I d-don't even kn-kn-know G-God that well! I'm-I'm just some k-kid who's in over his head!"

"Tomoya-kun…" Ryou took me by the shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. "Just go and show him compassion. You don't have to be a pastor to do this. It's okay if you don't know God very well; just show how much God you do know. Pastor said that God is love, so show as much love as you can."

I leaned back against the cool wall and tilted my head back. "Oh man oh man…" I took a deep breath and felt it fill my lungs; I could almost feel my lungs processing the air as I closed my eyes. "Help me do this, boss; you've got me this far… Help me do this…"

"If it helps, I'll come in with you," Ryou offered.

"Thanks," I said. After another deep breath I pushed off from the wall and took hold of the door handle. "Tell me what to say, boss," I said with a glance upward as I opened the door.

The room seemed small, though that could have been due to the sheer number of people who filled the room. I took a minute to study them, and it saddened me know that all of them would be grieving in a short time. "H-Hi," I greeted as I became the target of every set of eyes in the room. "Are you the Nakamuras?"

"Hello Pastor," a man with graying temples greeted as he stood. "Thank you for coming on short notice."

Hoo boy… "I'm very sorry, but Pastor Ashton is sick and couldn't make it. I've been trying to help in his place."

He stepped around several other people to approach me. "And what is your name?"

"My name is Okazaki Tomoya, sir," I said while bowing. "I'm very sorry that I'm not the pastor."

He glanced back at several of the others before returning his gaze to me. "You cared enough to come, so please…" He waved his hand toward the bed. "Make room, please."

The scratching of chairs could be heard as people scooted out of the way to clear a path to the bed, and I made my way over to find; "Oh, God…"

A little girl who looked no older than five lay in the bed. Her eyes were closed, but I could see her chest rising and falling, indicating that she was still alive.

One of the women rose and moved to the other side of the bed and touched the girl's forehead. "Keiko? He's here."

She opened her eyes and looked first at the woman, then at me. "Who are you?" she asked softly.

"My name is Okazaki Tomoya," I replied just as softly as I felt that swelling in my chest again. "Y-You're name's Keiko? You're adorable."

"Thank you," she said; she looked so pale. "Are you here because I'm dying?"

I looked up at the woman across from me. Her teary nod told me what I needed to know, so I looked back down to Keiko. "Yeah sweetie, that's why I'm here."

"Thank you for coming." It was so weird; she looked fine, but underneath she must have been hurt beyond what the doctors could fix. The thought made my heart ache.

I reached out and stroked her soft hair. "I'm sorry you're dying," I said. "Are you sad?"

"I am a little," she replied. "But I've lived a good life so I'm not too afraid."

I heard chuckling in the room, and I couldn't help but smile at how 'old' she sounded. "I'm glad to hear that, sweetie. No regrets, then?"

She appeared to think about it for a moment. "Only that my mommy and daddy and grandpas and grandmas will cry."

"I will too," I said, already feeling the tears coming.

"Tomoya-kun…" I heard Ryou say, and I knew what she was hinting at.

"D-Do you love God?" I asked her.

Her face brightened almost immediately. "Oh, I do! That's why I'm not so afraid; I'll get to see him and play with him."

"I never thought of playing with him," I admitted. "Will you play with him for me, too?"

"Sure," she replied, sounding weaker. "We'll…play lots…"

I clenched my jaw to keep the tears from flowing. "C-Can I pray for you?"

She looked me directly in the eyes and, for a moment, I felt like she was looking into me. "You're not a pastor, are you?"

"I'm sorry, no."

Something about her eyes…changed. "You're not even sure about Him, are you?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm just a nobody who cares about others."

"He loves you, you know."

"How do you know, sweetie?"

For a moment it seemed as though she had been suddenly filled with life as she took my hand with a surprisingly strong grip. "He just told me to tell you, Okazaki Tomoya-san." She smiled at me as her eyes closed, her chest rose and fell once more, then stilled.

I stood there in stunned disbelief. How did she know my name? I had introduced myself when I had come in the room, but… "G-God, please give us all comfort!" I nearly yelled as I shook; I didn't care about the tears that flowed. "Help us all to remember Keiko and…and…to remember all the…the happy and fun times she shared, right up to the end! Don't let her death be the end of her legacy!" I carefully lowered her hand back to her side and took a couple of unsteady steps back and looked up to the ceiling…and beyond. "She's all yours, Boss." I looked around at the room full of people, crying and holding each other. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

As the family continued to mourn, I slowly made my way over to Ryou, who was also repeatedly dabbing at her eyes. "Please…I need to be alone for a while."

She simply nodded, then took me by the hand and led me from the room. The next thing I knew she was leading me into a small room with a table and a chair and placed me in it. "I'll be back shortly with tea," she told me just before quietly closing the door.

I don't know how long I stared into space, but I eventually broke down, and I leaned on the table, crying uncontrollably. I had just seen something so sad but so wonderful that I'd never be able to describe it to anyone.

As I wept, I felt a gentle touch to my shoulder. I looked up expecting to see Ryou or maybe Trina but, strangely enough, there was nobody there. "Huh…?"

A couple of minutes later the door opened, and Ryou entered with the tea. "Here you go," she said as she set the small platter on the table.

I dried my eyes with my sleeve. "Were you in here a little bit ago? I felt someone touch me; was that you?"

"N-No," she replied, shaking her head. "I made sure to lock the door so no one would bother you," she explained as she produced a key.

"Weird," I said with a heavy shrug. "Must have been my imagina-" I froze. It couldn't have been…

"Tomoya-kun?"

"I-I-It's nothing," I said, waving a hand. "I…just have some thinking to do."

"Okay," she said. "Well, if you need anything else, just push…oh, what am I saying?" she said with a giggle. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes; is that okay?"

"Sure," I said, finally managing to chuckle for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I'll be fine, thanks."

She nodded with a smile as she quietly closed the door again; that must have been how they did things here.

I used my arms as a pillow as I rested against the table. I thought about everything that had happened, from talking to Sakamoto to praying over Nakamura Keiko's lifeless body…

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to the sound of a knock at the door, and I looked up to see Ryou coming back in. "Oh!" she squeaked. "I'm sorry; were you sleeping?"

"Apparently I was," I said, stifling a yawn. "Sorry about that; I didn't mean to."

She glanced behind her at the door several times. "Is this an okay time? Nakamura-san – Keiko's grandfather – wishes to speak with you."

"He-He's here?' I croaked as I felt the blood drain from my face. Was he here to chew me out? Did I do that bad a job? "Wh-What does he want?"

"I don't know; he stopped me and asked me to bring him to you," she replied with an apologetic smile.

I quickly checked myself in a nearby mirror and adjusted my clothes. "Um, okay; I'm as ready as I can be."

She turned and opened the door, leading the way out of the room. "Here he is, Nakamura-san."

I stepped out of the room and nearly ran into the top of someone's head. "WHOA!" I yelled, nearly jumping out of my skin. "Sorry about that!"

"Okazaki-san," the gray-haired man from earlier greeted as he straightened from his bow. "Thank you so much for what you have done for my family."

"Nakamura-san…to be honest, I sucked."

"Nonsense!" he exclaimed, causing Ryou and I to flinch. "You showed your heart and were able to express with such passion what we all felt."

"Um…thanks?"

"What temple are you affiliated with?"

"Temple?" I squeaked. "I'm…I mean…Pastor Jeff Ashton is my mentor, sir. He's the pastor of Glory to God Church in Hikarizaka."

"Glory to God?" he repeated. "Ah yes, I've heard of that one." He poked me in the chest. "You tell Ashton-sensei that the Nakamura family will be in attendance on…when are the meetings?"

"Sunday morning, but I'm not sure when they start."

"Here," he said, handing me a business card. "You find out and you call me and we will see you on Sunday!" He stepped back and started to bow, but stopped himself and instead stepped forward and hugged me, patting my back repeatedly. "I look forward to seeing you again, Okazaki-san!" With that he turned and headed back down the hallway toward his granddaughter's room.

"Looks like you made a good impression," Ryou said with a comforting smile as we watched him enter the side room.

"Maybe so," I said, "but I hope I don't leave Pastor Jeff with a bad one."


	34. A Girl's Heart

**Chapter Thirty-Four: A Girl's Heart**

Kyou opened the door almost before I had finished the first knock. "Hey, welcome back!"

"Thanks," I murmured as Ryou followed me through the door.

"How was it?" she asked as I fell into one of the chairs just inside the entrance.

"Exhausting," I said tilting my head back and pinching the bridge of my nose. "But energizing. How's the pastor doing?"

"Sleeping right now," she replied with definite fondness. "It was such a pain in the butt getting him to agree to sleep."

"Admit it; you enjoyed it," I challenged.

"Every minute of it," she admitted shamelessly. "I just like…taking care of him."

"From what I've seen just today, he takes care of enough people," I noted. "He should be taken care of every once in a while, at least."

"And I want to take care of him as long as I can…" Kyou sighed.

I straightened myself to fix Kyou with my gaze. "Okay Kyou, spill it: why do you like him so much, anyway?"

"Well…" she put a finger to her lips. "Let's get the obvious out of the way: He's tall, he's handsome, he has a great smile…"

"His skin color doesn't bother you?" I asked. It didn't bother me, but I wasn't the one romantically interested in him.

"Nope!" she chirped. "Seriously, though…he's in a country full of people who are a different color than him and it doesn't seem to bother him. Why should it bother me?"

"Good point," I admitted. "Anyway, what else?"

"He's a strong man," she said, blushing. "Not like in muscle…well…that too, but what I mean is…"

"He's confident?" Ryou suggested.

"Something like that. It's like he knows who he is. Um…he knows what he's good at and what he's not good at, and…if he's not sure, he's not afraid to find out."

"Sounds like more of us could learn from his example," Ryou said with a gentle smile.

"I really admire that about him," Kyou admitted, her blush spreading. "I guess he's just good for me."

"But are you good for him?" I countered.

She sighed heavily. "I want to be. Right now I'm just a high-schooler, so I don't have a lot to offer other than cooking and…well, that," she said, her blush deepening even more, "but I know that's not enough."

"Feeling kinda out of your league?" I asked.

She nodded with a sobered look. "Yeah."

"Listen, Kyou..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I might be out-of-line here, but from what I've seen of him, he's more interested – actually, 'concerned' might be better – in a person's character than anything. I think if you're willing to learn and grow…I think you'd have a chance."

"Thanks, Tomoya," she said with a warm smile. "I figured that, but I guess I needed to hear it from someone else."

"Onee-chan," Ryou said softly. "You're so…different. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Ryou. I feel different; Lighter, if that makes any sense."

"I think I understand,' Ryou replied. "I feel a lot lighter after the other day. More…free."

Kyou looked from me to her sister and back. "Yeah, the rest of the school year's going to be interesting, isn't it?"

I knew what she was talking about; the three of us had changed a lot during the summer, mainly due to Jeff's influence, both as an adult and as a religious leader. So I returned her smile. "Sunohara's not going to know what to do with us…any of us."

"He'll just be the buttmonkey he's always been," Kyou said with a smile and a flip of her hair.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou giggled.

"Well, it's been a long day for everybody," the older twin said, getting to her feet. "I'm going to go check on Jeff; I might stay here tonight so I can take care of him, depending on how he's doing." She then gave a catty smile. "Or I might just stay anyway."

"Onee-chan, behave yourself!"

Kyou suppressed her laugh with her hand before exchanging kisses one the cheek with her sister. "We got sidetracked, so I'll have to ask about your day another time. Tell Mom and Dad 'hi' for me."

"You think your dad will ever let you go home?" I asked.

"Yup!" She chirped as we headed back to the main doors. "Daddy loves his little angels too much to be away from them for too long. He'll probably cool off in the next day or so and tell me to come home."

"That's good," I said, relieved. "I'm sure Botan misses you."

She shook her head. "No, he doesn't; he's been visiting me every day."

"That's pig's a ninja," I quipped. "How does he get out, anyway?"

"He just does," Kyou replied with a mysterious smile. "It's one of his seven skills, after all."

I shook my head. "Sure. Anyway, I'm glad your dad will want you home soon; that'll help things get back to normal…or something close to it."

"The question is," Kyou said, mysterious smile still in place, "will I still want to go home?"

* * *

Ryou seemed awfully quiet as we passed Furukawa Bakery. "You okay, Ryou?"

"I'm just worried about Onee-chan," she admitted. "I know she's more mature than before, but…what if things don't work out with Ashton-sensei? She can't live at the Furukawa's home forever."

I sighed heavily. "I know what you mean. Do you think she's burned her bridges with your dad?"

She shook her head. "No, but if she refuses to go home, he might kick her out permanently as a punishment for being disobedient."

"Would he really do that?" I asked. "Would he really kick out one of his 'angels'? Wouldn't your mom try to stop him somehow?"

"She would," Ryou acknowledged. "But she'd ultimately respect his decision. Even when he kicked Onee-chan out before, he didn't do it impulsively. He was in his office for over an hour before he came out and told her to leave."

I sighed heavily again. "Sounds like Kyou might be playing with fire."

"Yeah…"

We rounded the next corner and nearly ran into a human wall. We looked up to…a coincidence.

"D-Dad?" Ryou stuttered. "What are you doing all the way out here? Tomoya-kun's bringing me home now, if that's what you're worried about."

Fujibayashi Ryu looked at us with an unreadable expression. "Where is your sister?" he asked in an even tone.

"Sh-She's at the church right now."

"Do you know what she's doing there?"

"T-Taking care of Ashton-sensei because he's sick."

"Take me there; I need to have a word with him," he ordered, then looked at me. "You may go, Tomoya-san; you will not be needed for this."

I didn't think Ryu would do anything like beat up Pastor Jeff, but still… "Pastor Jeff is my mentor, so I'll go with you."

He appeared to size me up just like when Ryou and I started dating. Finally he said, "You seem more mature than when we last spoke. Come on, then."

As we walked, I studied him; he didn't seem angry from what I knew of him, just intense…maybe he was worried? I remembered Kyou had told him about her feelings for Jeff, so maybe he was worried that something indecent was going on. I knew that my mentor wouldn't do anything to her, but Dad didn't know him, so…

We arrived back at the church and Dad was about to pound on the door before I somehow managed to stop him. "He was sleeping when we left a few minutes ago, so…" I explained before reaching out and gently rapping on the door.

Like last time, Kyou answered almost in an instant. "Hello? Hey, what are you two…doing…back…?" She trailed off as she saw her father. "Hi, Daddy."

"Kyou, I need to talk with you," he said simply.

"Okay," she said, and stepped outside, shutting the door quietly behind her. "It's good to see you again, Daddy; I've missed you."

"And I've missed you as well," he said, his voice softening. "And I'm glad to see that you're all right."

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. "I've been staying with the Furukawas, and-EEP!" she squeaked as her dad grabbed her up in a hug.

"When I heard that your sister and Tomoya-san had gone to a hospital in the next town, I thought that my Kyou-angel had been hurt!" he exclaimed in a shuddering voice.

"We went to take care of the victims of an accident," Ryou explained. "I went to help as a nurse, and Tomoya-kun stood in for Ashton-sensei since he was sick."

"That's right," Ryu said as he released his daughter. "Where is this pastor? Is he inside?"

"He's sleeping right now," Kyou said. "We think he exhausted himself from overwork."

We heard the church doors creak and Pastor Jeff stuck his head outside. "Oh, hi!" he greeted, though he still sounded tired. "I thought you'd all gone home already."

"Are you Ashton-sensei?" Ryu asked.

"Yes, sir," Jeff replied with a light cough. "Pastor Jeff Ashton; call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity." He offered his hand, then quickly withdrew it. "Sorry, I'm still under the weather." He carefully bowed. "This is how I'm supposed to do it, anyway."

"Fujibayashi Ryu," the twins' dad grunted. "I'm Kyou's father."

"Pleased to meet you," Jeff replied. "I'm sorry that I'm not in any shape for company or I'd invite you inside. Did you have a question?"

"What are your intentions toward my daughter?" Well, he sure got to the point.

"At the moment, my only intention is to get over this illness, Fujibayashi-san," Jeff replied politely.

"Dad!" Kyou hissed. Then she dragged him away a short distance. Jeff and I exchanged glances as the father and daughter had what appeared to be a rather heated discussion.

Finally, they returned and Ryu bowed deeply. "My humblest apologies, Ashton-sensei; it seems I misunderstood my daughter's words."

"No harm done," Jeff replied. "I'm glad we could clear that up."

"Indeed," Ryu said, giving his furiously blushing daughter a sideways glance.

"Is *cough* there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, but…" Ryu turned toward his older daughter. "I am sorry for kicking you out of your home. I needed space to think, and suspected that you needed the same."

"Not really," Kyou said. "But thank you for thinking of me."

Her father blinked in obvious surprise. "Y-You're welcome. You seem…different, Kyou-chan."

"Ashton-sensei has been a very good influence on her," Ryou remarked.

Ryu switched his gaze to my mentor. "Is it true that my daughter has been, um…pursuing you?"

I could tell that Pastor Jeff wasn't sure how to answer the question, so I tried to save him. "Dad, if I may; she's told us that she's interested in him, and even confessed to him a couple of days ago," I said, sending Kyou an apologetic look; I didn't want to say too much, but I believed that her father should know the truth.

"What did he say?" Ryu asked, keeping a wary eye on my mentor.

"He was very kind in his rejection," Kyou replied, a mixture of sadness and embarrassment on her face.

Her father's next words blew us all away as he turned angry eyes on Pastor Jeff: "What's this? Is my daughter not good enough for you?!"


	35. Solutions

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Solutions**

"I see," Dad said as Kyou handed him a mug of coffee as we sat in the pastor's office. "Things sure are different in America."

"Yeah, the age of consent over there is just different enough," I said. At Kyou's insistence Jeff had returned to bed, so I took on the task of answering Dad's questions; it was really turning into a long day. "But in his case, though…well…he's a widower who trying to honor his dead wife."

"It's 'late wife', Tomoya-san," Dad corrected. "It's more polite."

"Late wife," I amended. "So the way I see it, there are three problems on his side of things: One, the age-of-consent problem…but that should be cleared up in about a month, right?

"Our birthday is September 9th," Ryou confirmed.

"So that'll fix itself. Two, he's…older than she is."

"Well, that's not unusual," Dad said. "I'm seven years older than my wife. Why? How old is Ashton-sensei?"

I tried to find a polite way to answer, but Kyou jumped in. "Thirty-two."

He nearly spit out his coffee. "F-Fifteen years? Couldn't you find someone closer to your age? Or maybe wait until after your teaching studies are complete?"

Kyou's cheeks pinked. "Well the only one I'd be interested in that's my age…is…Tomoyabuthe'salreadytaken."

"Onee-chan!" Ryou squeaked as she grabbed my arm.

"I see," Dad grunted.

"And…well…" Kyou continued, "…he and Jeff are a lot alike…GAH! This is embarrassing!"

"We'll put that on the back burner for now," he relented.

"The third problem is that he's a Christian, and he's not supposed to marry outside his religion," I said, finishing the list.

"Sounds snobbish, if you ask me," Dad scoffed.

"It's not that," I protested. "If he's going to be that close to someone like that, he needs to be sure they're on the same page. His understanding is that God has certain things that all Christians are supposed to be focused on, and if either the husband or the wife isn't a Christian…'unequally yoked'…"

"I think I understand," Dad said. "If the animals aren't pulling in the same direction, then nothing gets done and they can end up frustrating each other."

"Yeah."

"Okay, I retract my statement about them being snobs," he amended; then he looked over at his older daughter. "Are you sure you'd want to be part of that world? His is a western religion, after all."

"Actually, I think it's a Middle-Eastern religion," I said as respectfully as I could. "Other than…Rome, most of the story parts take place in Israel and Egypt, and those aren't considered Western. Am I wrong?"

"I've read the first few parts, up through Deuteronomy," Kyou said. "Israel and Egypt."

"Hm." Dad's face scrunched in thought. "I'll have to consider this at length." He settled back in his chair. "We Fujibayashis have not been particularly religious for several generations, so I don't see there being a problem with you joining one if you wish…as long as you don't disrespect your mother or myself in the process."

"If it helps, the Bible prohibits that," I offered. "It's one of the Ten Commandments, but I've also read that Christians are supposed to put God first so they're supposed to choose him over family if it comes down to it."

"You seem well-versed in the Bible, Tomoya-san," he declared. "Are you planning on becoming a priest yourself? Am I to lose both my daughters to this God?"

I waved my hands. "No way! I just read it to understand Pastor Jeff better." I thought back to the hospital. "But…"

"Tomoya-kun?"

I looked over at Ryou's worried expression. "I guess I have some thinking to do, too."

* * *

"You are of marrying age, and your mother and I will respect that," Dad said as we stood just outside the church; it was almost like he was making a proclamation. "However, once you are married you are committed; you will no longer be the responsibility of me or my wife. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Daddy," Kyou said in a trembling voice, apparently feeling the weightiness of the situation.

"If you wish to be part of his life, then you will learn about it; study that book and ask questions. I do not want you entering into a relationship that you are not prepared for. Is that understood?"

"Y-Yes, Daddy."

He turned his gaze on me, and my legs nearly buckled under the intensity. "Tomoya-san, you have been a good friend to both of my daughters and I consider you family. You will help Kyou with her studies, using what you have already learned to cover for her blind spots to help her make informed decisions. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Dad; you can count on me."

"I thought so," he huffed. "Just wanted to make that clear." His gaze softened as he briefly studied the three of us. "All of you look exhausted," he said with a soft chuckle. "Sorry that this old man kept you up past your bedtimes."

The three of us exchanged smiles. "No problem," I said wearily.

He drew himself up to his full height. "Tomoya-san; would you please walk my Ryou-chan home?"

"She could go with you if you wan-"

"Tomoya-san; would you please walk my Ryou-chan home?" he repeated with a meaningful look.

I wasn't sure that I understood, but I moved next to Ryou and offered my arm. "Shall we go, milady?"

"Y-Yes," she giggled as she took my arm.

As I escorted her home I looked back to see a father and daughter sharing a loving embrace, and I occurred to me that maybe he was already starting to let her go.

* * *

"I'm starting to feel like a secondary character in my own story," Ryou giggled as we arrived at her home.

"Hey, don't knock being a support," I said half-jokingly. "The main characters can't do everything themselves; sometimes they need the secondary characters to watch their backs."

"That's true. But I am glad that Onee-chan's happy."

"Yeah, me too," I said. "I have a feeling that's Dad's going to be okay with her being with Jeff, in spite of the age difference."

"Me too," she replied, then giggled again as we stopped by her front door. "We're starting to copy each other."

"That's not a bad thing," I said as I took her in my arms. "Maybe it means we're compatible; we think alike."

She blushed lightly as she looked up into my eyes. "Tomoya-kun…"

I leaned down slowly and kissed her tenderly on the cheek, savoring its softness, and I could feel her grip on my shirt tighten.

I pulled away just as slowly and touched my forehead to hers as I looked her in the eye. "You're the main character in my book, beautiful."

"T-Tomoya-kun…" she breathed, pulling her face away to brush her lips against mine.

"Wh-What do you want for your birthday?" I asked after I regained my wits. I had considered getting her another set of tarot cards, but…yeah. Bad memories.

"I don't know," she whispered into my cheek, causing a shudder; she was getting bold. "I thought maybe a necklace with my birth stone, or maybe a ring, or…" she brought her lips to my ear and whispered a suggestion that had my body rapidly trying to redirect blood…elsewhere. She was bold.

"I-I-I'd love to give you that," I admitted, in a bit of shock. "B-But we should be married, first."

"How come?" she asked with wide, honest eyes. "It's not like we'd be the first."

"I w-wouldn't want to get you pregnant." Was I really having this conversation with Ryou?

"We can just use a condom, can't we?"

"Yeah, but…" I scrambled for an analogy, then blinked and reached up and caressed her face. "Does that feel good?"

She closed her eyes as she sighed happily. "It does…"

"Would it feel as good if I was wearing doctor's gloves?"

Her eyes snapped open to give me an uncertain look. "No."

"Why is that?"

"Because I wouldn't be feeling you…" she trailed off as her eyes widened. "Wow…I never thought of that. You're so smart…"

"So we'll hold off on that until after the wedding, okay?"

"Okay," she said, then smiled softly. "Then that's what you can give me for my birthday."

"What that?"

"A promise," she replied as she brushed her lips against mine again. Damn, that girl was bold!

"Y-You got it," I…well, promised.

"I look forward to it," she said as she released me and turned to unlock the door before looking over her shoulder at me. "Good night, Tomoya."

"G-Good night," I said, managing to ignore the tingling of every nerve in my body so I could give her a small wave.

The door shut, and I turned to head back home. As I passed through the gate to head down the sidewalk, I saw Ryou's dad heading toward me. "H-Hey Dad," I greeted.

"Tomoya-san," he greeted as we stopped before each other. "Did you get my daughter home safely?"

"Yes, sir." I paused to gather my thoughts. "How did things go with Kyou?"

He worked his jaw for several seconds. "If she can get him to agree to marry her, she'll have my blessing."

"What about the age difference?"

"Pfft!" he snorted, waving a hand over his head as he passed through the gate to his home. "She has bigger issues to worry about. Good night, Tomoya-san."

"Good night, sir," I replied with a smile. Even with his blessing, Kyou would still have her work cut out for her.


	36. A New Perspective

**Chapter Thirty-Six: A Fresh Perspective**

I slid open the door to my classroom and waited to let Ryou enter first. As expected, girls from every year swarmed around her desk. "I guess I'll see you at lunch, then," I said, ready for a return to the usual.

"Of course you will, but…" She took me by the hand and led me to her seat and gently but insistently pushed me into it. She then took my bag and put it at the usual spot by my desk. Then, as everybody watched, she came back and settled herself in my lap, my arms wrapping around her almost on their own. "Th-That's how it should be," she said with a playful grin over her shoulder as the girls around us squealed.

I blinked at her. Where had the shy, timid Ryou gone? I liked this new one, sure, but it would sure take some getting used to.

I watched as she did her tarot card readings. At first I felt a little twinge from a sad memory, but the feeling of her warmth in my arms and my lap made it seem like a distant memory…and maybe at this point it was.

The warning bell rang, and I wiggled my legs to get her to get up so I could go to my seat, but she just looked over her shoulder at me with a smile that sent my heart racing. "N-Not yet," she whispered.

"S-Sure," I whispered back. Where had the shy, timid Ryou gone? This would really take some getting used to!

Eventually the first bell rang, and Ryou finally got off of my lap, shooing the girls away as I hurried to my seat. The day had barely started, but I was already starting to see how different we were from when we left for summer break.

* * *

"The school looks so different now," Ryou said as we walked arm-in-arm during a break. "I know it's because I'm different than I was before then, but still..."

"I know what you mean," I replied with a smile. "Hey, let's check out more of the school during lunch; I'd kinda like to see if anything else looks different."

"Okay," she replied with a squeeze of my hand.

The day started to look more normal from that point, with Sunohara getting to class during third period and immediately going to sleep on his desk. As I watched him I felt something like annoyance but wasn't sure why, so I shook my head and returned my attention to the teacher.

At lunch I left him snoozing away to meet up with Ryou at her desk. "How about wandering around the old building for a while? After we eat, I mean?"

"That sounds good," she said as she took my arm and give me a shy smile.

As I held the door open for her to enter the old building I felt a sense of unease. "Huh. Weird."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I dunno," I admitted as she took my arm again. "Just…something doesn't feel right; like I'm forgetting something."

The minute I saw the door to the Reference Room, however, it all came back to me. "Miyazawa!" I yelled, and nearly dragged Ryou down the hall.

I slammed the door open, startling its lone occupant. "Miyazawa!" I yelled again, causing the girl to jump, losing her grip on her book.

"Tomoya-saaaaaan!" Yukine squealed as I picked her up by the waist and twirled her. "W-Welcome back!"

"Tomoya, what was that all about?" Ryou puffed as she entered the room. "You took off so…suddenly…."

I put Miyazawa back down; knowing that she was safe made me happier than I'd ever thought possible. "Ryou, this is Miyazawa Yukine; she's the one who was missing a few weeks ago! Pastor Jeff visited her family, and I went along, and now she's back, safe! Isn't that great?!"

"That's…really good," Ryou said as she studied our kouhai.

"W-Welcome to the Reference Room," Yukine greeted as she grabbed my arm and half-dragged me to the table before heading to the counter where her cooking supplies waited. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Thank you, I would," Ryou replied as she took a seat…in my lap.

"I'm glad to see you're safe," I said, a little more level-headed. "What happened?"

"I was kidnapped," she explained, her back still to us. "Apparently a bad man from America wanted to force a deal that my dad's company was trying to make, so he had me and some other kids kidnapped."

"How did you escape?" Ryou asked.

She paused in her movements. "A tall man named Knight-sama and his talking car rescued me and all the others."

"Wait a minute," I said, my head buzzing. "Was it a black car? With a red light on the front?"

"It was!" she chirped as she turned to us with mugs in hand. "How did you…know…?"

"I saw it when I was visiting your parents with Pastor Jeff," I said, the buzzing starting to go away. "In my mind, I mean."

"Th-That's interesting," she said, the mugs rattling as she set them on the table before straightening. "Tomoya-san? Are you and senpai…dating?"

"We are!" I replied cheerfully…then remembered our last interaction. "Oh. I-I'm sorry; do you, uh, want us to leave?"

"N-No, that's all right," she said as she settled into the seat across from us.

We drank our coffee in awkward silence, Ryou having moved to the chair next to me, and when it was time to leave I stopped her by the door. "Listen, could you go on ahead? I promise there won't be any funny business, but I need to set things straight with her."

"She's in love with you," Ryou said simply.

"Yeah, I figured," I replied with a heavy heart. "I'd just like to take care of some damage control, okay?"

She glanced into the room with a distrustful look. "All right Tomoya, but only because I trust you." The emphasis was not lost on me as she brushed her lips against mine again before heading back to our classroom, and I smiled at her level of possessiveness as I stepped back into the Reference Room.

"Listen, Miyazawa…" I rubbed my neck as she watched me with hesitant eyes, "…I didn't bring her here to rub your nose in anything, it's just that…well…our summer break was kinda exciting and we wanted to look around the school to see how our perspectives have changed."

"My summer break was 'exciting', too," she replied quietly.

"I'll bet," I said. "I really am glad you're safe."

She rose from her seat and approached me, putting her hands on my chest. "I wish you could have been the one who rescued me."

I took her hands and held them between my own. "Thank you. If I could have, I would have."

"I love you, Tomoya-san," she said quietly, a tear escaping from her cheek.

"I know," I said. "I'm sorry." Then something shifted in my perspective. "I do love you, just…not in the way you want. I'm sorry."

"How can you say you love me while you're with her?" she scolded as she pulled her hands from mine. "Are you into harems or something?"

How could I explain something I didn't fully understand? "I'm not sure how to explain it. I guess I see and appreciate your uniqueness…kinda like family, but not."

"Please leave, senpai," she said, folding her hands and turning her back to me. "I need to be alone for a while."

"Okay." I opened my mouth to apologize again, but thought that getting out was the smarter thing to do, so I turned and left, closing the door to the sounds of crying.

* * *

"OKAZAKI!"

"HUH?" I leaped from my seat to stand next to my desk."Yes, sir!"

"Pay attention, please!" the teacher barked.

"Sorry, sensei," I replied as I retook my seat amid a cloud of laughter.

As the teacher turned back to the board I looked over at Sunohara, still asleep in his desk. I hadn't seen him all summer, and it looked like he hadn't changed a bit; that really pissed me off. "Hey," I whispered, poking him in the side. "Wake up; loser now, loser always."

He simply grunted and shifted position.

"Hey dumbass, you're going to end up a taxi driver at this rate," I hissed, poking him again. "You're better than this."

"Let me sleep," he whined, shoving my hand away.

I was damn-near furious; this guy had mad skills in soccer, but he'd rather sleep his life away just because his own attitude came back to bite him in the ass? "WAKE UP!" I yelled, overturning his desk and him along with it. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled at his blinking, terrified face. "You're awesome at soccer but you're letting life run you over! At least I can't play basketball because of my busted shoulder, but what's your excuse?!"

"Okazaki!" the teacher bellowed.

"You want to mooch off of some girl, huh? Well, what girl's gonna want your good-for-nothing ass!" I dropped down, straddling him and grabbing his collar to bring his face right in front of mine. "You're better than this, Yohei! You've been made for great things, but you're pissing it all away! Don't give up on yourself, don't give up on life, do you hear me?"

"O-Okazaki…" he gasped and I realized that I was holding his collar too tight.

"You don't have to be the best at everything," I told him as I relaxed my grip. "We've each been given different strengths and weaknesses, and it's our job to find out what they are and learn from them. Stop running away!" I yelled, shaking him.

"Tomoya!" I heard the voice of my girl cry out, and I felt a 'snap' from within me; not like I had broken something, but like I had been 'in the zone' and was coming out of it. I quickly released Sunohara, stared at my hands for a moment, then got to my feet and held out my hand to help him up. "S-Sorry about that."

"What's gotten in to you?" he demanded as he got up on his own. "Who the hell are you?"

Who was I? The 'Tomoya' from before wouldn't have cared whether he slept or not, and might have even had some fun with it, maybe involving a marker, but now… "I…I don't know…" I looked to see everyone staring at me with wide eyes, the teacher included. "I'm…going to go to the nurse's office…and then to the main office for whatever discipline is appropriate." I felt a little light-headed, so I leaned on the wall to keep from toppling as I headed toward the door.

"I'll go with him," I heard Ryou tell the teacher. "I want to make sure he gets there okay."

"Go ahead," I heard our teacher say.

* * *

"What happened back there?" she asked as we made our way down the hall. "I've never seen you so angry."

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "When I saw Sunohara sleeping, I felt angry and sad and frustrated, all at the same time. He has so much potential in him, but he's wasting it with his antics."

"You sound like Ashton-sensei," she remarked with a giggle.

I blinked; I sounded like Jeff? He was supposed to be my mentor for winning Ryou back, but…were there other ways that he'd influenced me?


	37. Confessions

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Confessions**

After resting in the nurse's office for a while Ryou and I headed to the main office to 'turn myself in'.

"Okazaki Tomoya?" the secretary said as we entered the office.

"Yes, ma'am. You heard about what happened?"

"No, but the principal did; he wants to talk to you," she replied, sounding annoyed.

"May I come, too?" Ryou asked.

She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the door to the principal's office, so Ryou and I headed that way.

"I'm not surprised to see you in here again," he said as he gestured to the seats across from him. "I am surprised, however, at your reason for being in here, and that you did so of your own volition."

"Yeah, sorry about the trouble," I said. "I saw Sunohara sleeping on his desk and got pissed off."

"Why is that?" he asked. "Your teacher told me what he saw, but I'd like to hear what you have to say."

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "All I can say is that when I saw him sleeping there, I thought about my busted shoulder and how I can't play basketball anymore because of it, and then I thought about how he has all this skill in soccer, but he's letting it go to waste."

"Really?" he said, more a statement than a question. "And when did you start caring about the welfare of others?"

"Sometime this summer, I think." I looked over at Ryou, who simply smiled at me. "I…made a new friend."

"Well, it looks like that new friend has been a good influence on you, but I still can't have you disrupting class," he said in a firm but not unsympathetic tone.

"I understand, sir; I'll be more careful in the future. It took me by surprise this time, but…" I shrugged with what I hoped was a disarming smile.

"All right, get out of here," he said with a chuckle as he got to his feet. "And I appreciate you coming here on your own; to me, it shows maturity."

"Thank you very much," I said. "Have a good day."

We both left the office in a daze. "That went a lot better than I thought it would," Ryou admitted.

"Same here," I said. "I was ready for him to really chew me out, so this was a nice change."

We headed back to class and, other than the occasional glare from Sunohara, the rest of the day was uneventful.

"Could we stop by the library before we head home?" I asked. "I loaned your sister my bible, and I can't afford another right now."

"Sure," she replied as she took my arm.

I cringed as we passed the Reference Room, but soldiered on until we reached the Library. I managed a smile as I slid the door open, stepped inside, and cursed my memory.

Kotomi sat in her usual spot by the window, surrounded by her 'tank trap' of books. I knew that if I called her by her preferred name there could be trouble, so I pressed my finger to my lips in the universal sign for 'shh' as we made our way over to the shelves where the Old Testament should have been.

"Do you have your library card?" Ryou whispered.

I simply smiled as I took the book from the shelf and headed over to the checkout counter. I worked on checking out the book while hoping that Kotomi wouldn't see us; I wasn't sure how she'd react to Ryou's presence, and I didn't want to find out.

I finished checking out the book and quietly shooed Ryou to the exit.

"Tomoya-kun…"

Well, shit. "H-Hello, Kotomi-chan," I said through my teeth, forced into a smile. "I'm sorry; did we disturb you?"

She shook her head, causing her hair ornaments to wobble. "I saw you leaving, and wanted to say 'hi'." She then saw Ryou standing next to me. "Oh, h-hello."

I sighed in resignation as Kotomi trembled; was she afraid of everybody? "Go ahead and introduce yourself," I told her as I gestured to my girl. "She won't bite."

Kotomi took a deep breath with her eyes closed. Then she opened her eyes and pointed to herself. "Kotomi. You spell it with three hiragana: Ko-To-Mi. When you talk to me, please call me 'Kotomi-chan'."

Ryou looked at me with an expression of disbelief, to which I simply shrugged and gestured back to Kotomi. So she gave her usual polite bow. "Nice to meet you. I'm Fujibayashi Ryou. When you talk to me, please call me 'Ryou'."

"N-Nice to meet you too," Kotomi replied as her gaze lowered to the book in my hand. "Oh! Tomoya-kun! You should not take books from the library without checking them out first! That is stealing!"

"I'm not stealing it!" I protested as I tried to keep the book away from her grabbing hands. "I checked it out under my library card!"

Her hands ceased in their recovery mission. "R-Really?"

I pulled out my card to show her. "Yeah. See?"

"Oh." For some reason she looked disappointed. "So you do not need me to check it out for you anymore."

"Nope," I said as I looked down to put my card back in my pocket. "I won't be bothering you about this any-"

"Kotomi-chan, what's wrong?" I heard Ryou ask in a worried tone, so I quickly looked back up to see tears brimming in the library girl's eyes.

"Tomoya-kun…" she whimpered. "Does that mean you do not want to be around me any more?"

Now how was I supposed to answer that with Ryou standing right there? "I-It's nothing like that," I answered honestly. "I mean, I thought you'd be happy to be able to keep reading without me interrupting you."

"I do not mind being interrupted if it's you," she said as she took a step toward me, causing me to back into Ryou.

"Th-Thank you," I stammered; I had a feeling that she was trying to say more than what she was actually saying.

"Tomoya?" Ryou said as she took my arm.

My worries were confirmed as Kotomi's face paled. "O-Oh…A-Are you two…d-dating?"

"Yes, we are," Ryou replied with a gentle smile.

I watched with a heavy heart as Kotomi's mouth opened and closed several times, seemingly on its own, and I gave Ryou a meaningful look before removing my arm from hers to put a hand on Kotomi's shoulder. "Kotomi-chan…I'm sorry."

Apparently that was good enough for her as she stepped forward to wrap her arms around me as she started to cry. I looked over at Ryou with panicked eyes, only to find her with a sympathetic expression as she reached out to hold Kotomi in a tender embrace.

* * *

"That was pretty intense," Ryou said as we headed out the main gates. "It wasn't hard to figure out that she liked you, but I had no idea she'd react the way she did."

"She's…unique," I said. "I'm glad we were able to help her calm down; I think I'm the only one she knows outside the library."

Ryou was silent for a long time. "I guess…I don't mind if you want to be friends with her, it's just-"

"How about we both be her friends?" I suggested. "That way you don't have to worry about her and I being alone together…'alone together'…" I snorted. "That sounds funny."

"It does, now that you mention it," she giggled. "She seems really shy, but…" She giggled again. "Listen to me, talking about someone else being shy."

"I know what you mean," I said. "I think she'll take some getting used to, but she does seem…sweet." I wrinkled my nose. "I don't think I've even used the word 'sweet' like that before."

"We're both growing," Ryou observed. "I've noticed myself talking differently, too."

"You're bolder, too," I said. "Ever since Pastor Jeff did that…" I waved my hands, "whatever-he-did, you've seemed a lot more confident."

"I know what you're talking about," she said. "Ever since he did that I've felt…free? Like a weight was taken off my shoulders; I feel like I can be who I'm supposed to be."

"I guess we should thank him, then," I said. "And maybe introduce him to Kotomi? I'd sell tickets to that."

"Tomoya…" she giggled as we walked arm-in-arm the rest of the way to her place.

I ended up floating home again.


	38. Birthday Blessings

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Birthday Blessings**

I tugged on the collar of my school uniform as I approached the Fujibayashi house. I had chosen to wear it mainly because it was the nicest thing I had in my closet, but also it meant that I wouldn't have to change since it was a school day. I looked down at the box in my hand before opening it yet again to make sure that Ryou's birthday gift was still in there; a ring with her birthstone inset. I had found it at the same place where I had purchased her necklace what seemed like a lifetime ago.

I snapped it shut again as I reached out to open the gate, and I noticed my mentor standing outside the front door, dressed in a nice black suit. "Hey, Pastor. Did you just get here, too?"

He shook his head sheepishly as I approached. "No. To tell the truth, I've been out here for the last ten minutes."

"Sorry if I kept you waiting," I said. "We could have met up and-"

"No no, it's not that," he said, sheepish look still in place. "I'm just a little anxious about seeing Fujibayashi-san again."

"Kyou?"

"No, her father. I haven't spoken to him since his visit back when I was sick, so I'm afraid that he might not have a good impression of me. I know I shouldn't be afraid, but…" He shrugged. "I still struggle with fear at times."

I smiled as I thumped his back. "Well, I'm here now, so we can go into the fire together." With that, I knocked on the door.

I heard a lot of thumping from inside before the door opened, revealing two visions of loveliness. The twins wore kimonos that looked almost exactly alike in that they had the same patterns, but with the colors switched; Ryou's was white with blue snowflakes while Kyou's was blue with white snowflakes.

"Hello Tomoya-kun, Ashton-sensei," Ryou said with a bow. "Thank you for accepting our invitation."

I hid a smirk as Kyou said nothing, but gazed up into Jeff's face with an adoring smile.

"Thank you for inviting us," he said as I followed him into the house. "Wow, this is a really nice place."

"Thank you," came a deep voice from farther in, and Fujibayashi Ryu came into view, followed by Rinko. "My wife and I are glad that you could make it."

Without warning, Kyou jumped into Pastor Ashton, who reflexively curled his arms to catch her. "Thank you for the wonderful gift, Daddy!" she crooned as she lay across Jeff's impromptu 'princess carry'. "He's perfect!"

"K-Kyou!" From where I was standing I could see that my mentor's face was red nearly to his hairline. He tried to put her down, but she wouldn't straighten her legs. "P-Please get down!"

"Kyou-chan," Ryu warned while his wife giggled.

With a pout, Kyou allowed herself to be lowered gently to the floor before patting Jeff's arm. "You're really strong, aren't you?"

"N-Not really," he replied, still recovering from the shock. "You're just really light."

"Ooo, Kyou-chan, he's a keeper!" Rinko gushed before looking to me with a warm smile. "It's good to see you again, Tomoya-san."

"Thank you ma'am; it's good to see you again, too," I said with a bow.

"Well, shall we get out of the ladies' way and have a drink?" Ryu offered.

"Do you need any help in the kitchen?" Jeff and I asked, almost in unison, then looked at each other with awkward grins.

The Fujibayashi family burst out laughing, "Thank you for offering, gentlemen," Rinko said, "but we have everything under control."

"Tell you what," Kyou said, leveling her gaze at my mentor, "we'll call you if we need anything. Okay?"

"Okay," he replied, then looked to Ryu. "I'll take you up on your generous offer, then."

* * *

"So your religion allows drinking?" Ryu asked as we settled into chairs in the study, the older two with wine and me with tea.

"Sure, just not to the point of inebriation," Jeff replied.

"And you have a couple more years before you can join us, isn't that right?" Ryu asked as he gestured to me with his glass.

"Yes, sir; I'll be turning eighteen at the end of next month," I replied.

"Well, I look forward to being able to drink with you, Tomoya-san," he said with a smile.

"Thanks."

He looked to Jeff and opened his mouth as though to say something, then apparently changed his mind. "Well, I guess my older daughter's affection for you is no secret," he mused. "Thank you for being so patient with her."

"Not a problem, sir," Jeff replied with an easy smile. "I'll admit that she was a bit of a handful at first, but she's settled down quite a bit and, honestly, I've…gotten used to her."

Dad chuckled softly. "Well, if she gets to be too much just let me know and I'll have a talk with her."

"Understood, sir."

"Call me 'Ryu', please."

"Thank you, Ryu; call me whatever you want, as long as it's not profane."

Dad chuckled again. "Is that your catch-phrase? I think you said that to me the first time we met."

It was Jeff's turn to chuckle. "Yeah, I guess it is; it's easy to say, and it hopefully puts others at ease."

"Daddy?" We turned as one to see Kyou at the doorway. "Dinner'll be ready in about five minutes."

"Do you need any help taking things to the table?" Jeff offered.

"Absolutely," she replied with a playful smile and a glow to her eyes.

"Kyou…" her father warned.

"Seriously, we could use some help," Kyou said, her smile turning more normal.

Jeff and I looked at each other, smiled, then excused ourselves to help with table setup.

* * *

"Hey, this looks good!" Jeff exclaimed as we sat down. "I know I helped carry it out, but to see it all on the table at once…"

"Yeah, I hear you," I agreed as I sat down next to him. "You can't go wrong with Fujibayashi cooking."

"T-Tomoya…" Kyou said with a blush as she glanced at Jeff, across from her.

Jeff pointed at the table, then at Kyou. "Did… you make all of this? On your own birthday?"

"I…had my reasons, but yeah, I made some of it," Kyou answered evasively, but I was sure we all knew her 'reasons'.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou giggled from her spot across from me.

"Did you make anything, Ryou?" Jeff followed up.

"I'm…still not a very good cook," she admitted. "I just helped group ingredients together and…I just did what I was told."

"Well, we all have to start somewhere," he said in an encouraging tone. "Just have to focus on the task at hand."

"Shall we get started?" Rinko prompted. "Dinner won't stay warm forever."

"Right! Sorry," Pastor Jeff said, then bowed his head for a moment before quickly snapping it back up. "Oh, sorry! Force of habit."

"Don't worry about it," Ryu said as we waited with our hands pressed together. "Did you want to do your praying thing?"

"It's fine; it's your home, so your rules." Jeff said, waving his hands.

"Daddy?" Kyou looked at her father with a meaningful expression.

"Don't give me that look," Ryu huffed. "Besides, I was thinking the same thing." He looked over to my mentor. "Would you be willing to pray before the meal?"

"Um, sure," Jeff replied, then lowered his head again. "Lord Jesus, thank You for this time when we can celebrate the birth of two very special girls. Thank You for blessing this family with Kyou and Ryou, two wonderful girls that I've had the privilege of getting to know. Please bless them with knowledge and wisdom in the coming year, and show them what You would have them do. Amen."

The rest of us raised our heads…except for the twins, I noticed. "He's done, girls," I told them.

"Kyou? Ryou?" Rinko looked at her daughters with a worried expression. "Is everything okay?"

Almost as one, the twins quickly rose from their seats and hurried out of the room, sniffling and wiping their eyes.

Jeff and I reflexively started to our feet until Ryu's hand stopped us. "I'm sorry. Was it something I said?" Pastor Jeff asked, clearly worried.

Ryu smiled gently as he lowered his hand. "No one other than Rinko and myself have ever said anything so kind about our daughters in their presence."

"That's too bad," Jeff replied. "They really are nice girls and, if you don't mind me saying so, you've done a terrific job raising such thoughtful and compassionate daughters."

"Oh, thank you very much," Rinko said, reaching for her napkin. "Now I may have to leave the table."

Eventually the twins returned and we were able to eat.

"Mmm! This is amazing!" Jeff gushed. "I wish I could make stuff like this!"

"I told you; you can't go wrong with Fujibayashi cooking," I chided.

"I can't argue with that!" he said before swooning over another mouthful, and I looked across the table to see Kyou blushing furiously.

I smirked and turned my attention back to my meal…until I felt something rub against my leg. A quick check under the table revealed nothing, so I just shrugged and went back to my meal.

"WHOA!" I jumped as Jeff suddenly yelped and looked under the table as well.

"What's the matter?" Rinko asked.

"Do you have a dog? Or a cat?" Jeff asked.

Ryu shook his head. "No, just Kyou's pig Botan. Why?"

I glanced around self-consciously before speaking. "I just felt something rub up my pant leg."

"Same here," Jeff said.

"Kyou, where's Botan?" Rinko asked.

"In our room, with the door shut," Kyou replied, but something about her expression…

We went back to eating, but I felt that 'rub' again. "What the-" I looked across the table to see if Ryou had any answers; she was looking down at her plate with the fiercest blush I think I'd ever seen on her.

"There it is again!" Pastor Ashton exclaimed, getting up from his seat. A quick glance at Kyou's face told me exactly what was going on. "All right, knock it off you two," I grumbled. "We're trying to eat."

"What's going on?" Rinko asked, then her face took on a look of disbelief as the girls giggled uncontrollably. "Not at the meal table; shame on you!"

"Sorry, Mom," they answered in unison.

"You were saying something about 'thoughtful and compassionate daughters'?" Ryu quipped to the pastor.

"I'll stand by my statement," he replied with an awkward grin and a twinkle in his eye.

At least the twins behaved themselves for the rest of the meal.


	39. A Heavy Gift

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Heavy Gift**

After dinner we collected our plates and followed the girls to the kitchen to put them in the sink. I noticed Kyou 'accidentally' bumping into Jeff about every chance she got, and hid my smirk as I headed back into the dining room to help collect the serving dishes, only to bump into Ryou going the other way. "Oh, sorry," I said. "Wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"That's okay," she replied, looking up at me from beneath her eyelashes as she walked by with a bowl in her hands.

I smiled as I continued into the dining room until it hit me; had she just done the same thing to me?

We finished clearing the table and the women shooed us back into the dining room to wait. The twins followed a couple of minutes later with bowls, plates, utensils, and the ice cream. Rinko then came out with one of the biggest cakes I'd ever seen and set it on the table.

"Wow," Jeff said, clearly awed. "That is a very big cake."

"It's for two birthday girls," Rinko said with a smile, "so it has to be twice as big."

"Of course!" he agreed as I examined the cake; it had white frosting with purple and blue flowers decorating the border. In the middle were the words 'Happy Birthday Kyou and Ryou', with each of the names occupying one side of the cake, as though they were two cakes pushed together into one.

"Did you make this yourself, Mom?" I asked, indicating the cake. "I'm not into cake-decorating or anything, but the flowers look really neat."

"Well, thank you very much!" Rinko gushed. "As a matter of fact yes, I did make the whole thing."

"That's amazing," Jeff said as he studied the confection.

"I'll admit that I've never decorated a cake like this before, but that's what the internet is for, isn't it?" she added with a smile.

"So this is your first time? Amazing…" Jeff said, then looked to Kyou. "No wonder you're such a great cook; you have a great teacher."

I hid a smirk as both mother and daughter blushed.

"Come on, the ice cream's going to melt," Ryu scolded lightheartedly as he stood up and retrieved the cake cutter. "Tomoya-san, would you help with the ice cream?"

"Sure," I said as Jeff handed me the ice cream and the bowls.

Dad and I served up the cake and ice cream, and the girls kept their feet to themselves, mainly because the seating had been rearranged so that Jeff and I sat across from each other, while Ryou sat next to Jeff and Kyou sat next to me.

It didn't stop them from trying once at least; at one point the girls suddenly both yelped and jumped before looking at each other bashfully, causing Jeff and I to exchange knowing and relieved smiles.

"Shall I go get them now?" Ryu asked as we finished our portions of cake and ice cream.

"Sure," Rinko replied. "The rest of us can clean up here."

After another round of Kitchen Bumper Cars we settled into their family room for the gifts. Dad joined us with two small boxes and handed one to each of the girls. "Here you go, girls; Happy Birthday from Mom and me."

After some awkward 'you first's, Kyou tore into her package to find: "Hey, neat!" she exclaimed as she held up a box with the phrase 'cell phone' on the side. "Thanks. This is neat!"

"With this, you'll be able to get a hold of your mother or myself if you get lost while riding around," Dad explained. "Or if you get in an accident or something."

Kyou's smile froze, and she glanced up at me briefly. "Th-Thank you," she repeated, a little more awkwardly this time.

Ryou opened her gift to find: "Oh, what a pretty ring!" she gushed as she held up the box, and my stomach started to slither to my shoes. What were the chances…?

"We know you're not into fancy electronic things," Rinko explained as Ryou removed a ring with a tanzanite jewel mounted in it, "so your father and I went to the jeweler near the station and had that sized for you."

I felt sick as she slid the ring onto her finger; it looked so much better than what I had gotten for her. In fact, there was no way I could've afforded anything as nice as that.

"Hey, Tomoya; you okay?" I looked to find my mentor studying me with a worried expression.

"I-I'm fine," I said, lifting a hand; I just wanted the attention off me so I could recover from the shock. "I'll be fine. Sorry for the trouble. Go ahead and give your gift."

He smiled awkwardly as he handed his gift to Kyou. "This should help you and Tomoya out," he said.

"Huh?" Kyou gave him a puzzled look as she carefully unwrapped the gift. "Ooo…" she breathed.

"Now you can give Tomoya's back to him," he said as she lifted a somewhat thick book out of the mess of paper. "And look at the front cover, the lower-left corner."

A glance, and; "Hey, look at this!" she exclaimed, showing the cover to her parents, who both leaned forward to see. "It has my name on the front."

"A Bible with your name engraved on the front…" Dad observed. "Very nice."

Kyou moved her gaze to Jeff, and tears began to glisten in her eyes as she hugged the book to her chest. "Thank you very much, Jeff," she said with a voice filled with emotion.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied. "Honestly, I was worried that you wouldn't want it."

"I love it," she replied as she continued to gaze at him. In fact, she continued to stare until her father cleared his throat. "Oh!" she squeaked, then looked to me. "I'll get yours after we're done here; is that okay?"

"Sure," I said, swallowing hard. "Don't want to disrupt the festivities." I sighed heavily as I reached into my coat and retrieved the small box containing my gift for Ryou. "H-Here," I said, feeling the onset of shame. "I-I hope you like it."

She accepted the box from me with a puzzled look, then opened. It. "Oh, my…" she said as she held up the ring, then quickly dabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "I-Is this what I think it means?"

I couldn't say anything, but did manage to nod once.

"Oh, boy," I heard Dad say with more than a hint of regret.

I knew I would feel embarrassed, but I didn't expect to feel totally humiliated. I knew it wasn't her parents' fault, but…

"I'm so sorry, dear," Rinko said sympathetically. "We really had no idea…"

"It's okay," I said. "I guess I should have talked with you before buying anything. Excuse me, please." I quickly got to my feet and headed for the front door.

I stood outside in the cooler air, feeling my face burn and my heart ache. Her parents could give her such nice things; would I ever be able to? Had I pissed away so much of my life that I'd never amount to anything?

I heard the door open and close, and Dad joined me a minute later. I could hear him sigh heavily before he spoke. "Ryou…asked to exchange the ring her mother and I got for her."

"It's okay," I said through a tight throat. "She should have nice things; I'll return my gift and try again."

"No you won't, son," he said as he laid a hand on my shoulder. "See, she told us what the gift meant…and that's not anything that her mother or I could ever give her."

I couldn't say anything as I tried to work the tension out of my jaw.

"You promised her a future together, didn't you, Tomoya?" He chuckled lightly. "It's not often that I'm moved to tears, you see, but to hear that…?" He sniffed. "I'll be damned if I'm going to get in the way of something like that." He turned me toward him, and my mouth fell open at the sight of tears in the man's eyes. "So Rinko and I will look for something else, and the two of you will look to a future together." He stuck out his hand. "Deal?"

"D-Deal," I managed to say as I took his hand. "Thanks, Dad."

He smiled, clapped my shoulder a couple of times, then headed back to the house. "Come back inside when you're ready; Ryou's waiting for you."

As I heard the door shut I took a couple of deep breaths and wiped my eyes with my sleeve. Oddly enough, I felt much better. I thought of Ryou waiting for me, so I quickly turned and headed back inside.

In fact, she was waiting for me just inside the door. "Tomoya…"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry about the scene; I know it's not your parents' fault, but I…well, felt humiliated."

"I understand," she replied as she took my face in her hands, I noticed that she wore my gift on her left hand…and the tears welling in her eyes. "Please don't feel embarrassed, Tomoya. I know you gave me more than just a ring; you gave me a promise. I love you so much," she said before brushing her lips against mine once, twice before pressing into a kiss.

We must have held the kiss for a while, because the next thing I knew I heard a throat clearing. We separated and I could feel my face heat up at the sight of Dad's and Mom's approving looks, Jeff's warm smile, and Kyou's equally impish one. "Th-thank you for the wonderful gift," Ryou said as she pulled away, and I was left a little confused as to whether she was referring to the ring or the kiss.

"It's getting kinda late," Jeff said, clearly trying to change the subject, "and I have a home visit tomorrow, so I'd better get home myself."

"R-Right, and we have school tomorrow," I remembered. "I'd better go, too."

"Thank you again for coming," Rinko said as Jeff and I slid our shoes on. "It was wonderful having you here."

"Thank you, ma'am," Jeff said. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"We'll…see them to the gate," Kyou said. "Right, Ryou?"

I had a feeling what was going on when Ryou stared at her sister for a full second before replying. "R-Right! Right!"

"No funny business," Dad warned as the girls followed us out the front door.

Pastor Jeff took a deep breath as we opened the gate. "Look, Kyou," he said as he turned toward my friend. "I understand that you were feeling playful, but I didn't appreciate being treated like that during dinner."

Kyou's face immediately fell. "I-I'm sorry."

"I've already forgiven you," he said. "I just wanted you to know how your actions affected me."

"I-I understand." She licked her lips. "I'm sorry; I won't do it again."

He vigorously rubbed at his face. "Listen, can the three of you meet me tomorrow at, say, the café next to the station? I have something I want to tell you."

The three of us looked at each other. "I…guess," I said as the unofficial spokesman. "It'd have to be after school, of course."

"Of course," he acknowledged. "What time would work for you?"

In the end, we decided to meet at the station at four-o-clock. As I walked the girls home however, I had a bad feeling; what was going on and why would he want to tell three high-schoolers?


	40. Separation Anxiety

**Chapter Forty: Separation Anxiety**

After school, the three of us headed to the station to meet up with Pastor Jeff. With us was Kotomi, who we had talked into coming along to meet Jeff as a possible new friend; he seemed to get along with everybody, so Ryou and I figured he'd be a good candidate.

"You know she's coming along just to be around you," Ryou whispered as we led our merry band away from the school.

"I know," I whispered back, "but if she can befriend Pastor Jeff, then she'll be more likely to be outside and around other people and it might take her attention off of…well, me. Two birds with one stone."

"You're so smart, Tomoya," Ryou giggled as she took my arm.

"Thanks." I smiled as we turned on the main road toward the station, then I felt a fourth presence nearby and looked around to find Fuuko walking on my other side. "F-Fuuko? When did you show up?"

"Right after you left the gates," she answered simply.

"But I would've seen you, wouldn't…I…?" I trailed off as I remembered her situation. "Never mind."

"Hello, Fuuko-san," Ryou greeted. "How have you been?"

"Busy."

Guilt gnawed at me as I remembered my…our promise. "I'm really sorry, Fuuko; I didn't mean to forget."

"You've had a busy summer; Fuuko knows."

"Tomoya-kun?" Kotomi said from Ryou's other side. "Who is this?"

Fuuko took the initiative as she moved to walk next to Kotomi. "My name is Ibuki Fuuko. It's nice to meet you."

"N-Nice to meet you, as well," Kotomi replied; then she pointed to herself. "Kotomi. You spell-"

"She doesn't need the whole introduction," I interrupted as politely as I could. "Just your name is fine."

The genius girl seemed to consider this for a moment, then looked to Fuuko again. "My name is Ichinose Kotomi."

"You're the school genius, aren't you?" Fuuko asked in her usual aggressive tone.

"I…I…"

"Yes Fuuko, she's the 'Genius Girl'," I answered in an effort to cover for my socially-awkward friend. "But she's been a bit of a shut-in, so she doesn't know that people know about her."

"Ah, I understand," Fuuko said, then took Kotomi's hand. "Fuuko will teach you how to get along with people."

Kotomi looked to me, but I could only shrug so she looked back to the first-year. "Thank you, Fuuko-san; I am in your care."

Thankfully, there weren't any more bizarre conversations the rest of the way to the café.

* * *

"What's this?" Pastor Jeff said with a smile as he rose from his seat. "So much beauty!" he gushed as four faces blushed. "God certainly put His beauty in Eve."

"T-Tomoya-kun; this man talks funny," Kotomi remarked as her face reddened even further.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said. "Please, have a seat. In hindsight, it's a good thing all the smaller tables were taken."

"Th-Thank you," Kotomi stuttered as she took a seat opposite the pastor.

Ryou and I exchanged smiles as Kyou plopped herself down in the seat next to her crush and gazed at him with her now-typical adoring smile.

"I hope it's okay, but I can only afford to order drinks for us," he confessed. "Sorry about that."

"Ryou and I can pay our own way," Kyou offered as she leaned toward him.

"M-Me, too," Kotomi said. We then looked to Fuuko.

"I-I'm sorry," she said as she hung her head. "Fuuko doesn't have any money."

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," Jeff said with a warm smile. "Like I said; I can order drinks for us, so it's okay."

Fuuko simply nodded bashfully.

Drinks were ordered and delivered, and Pastor Jeff leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't expecting this much of an audience, but…I guess it's not a big deal." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as he fixed his gaze on Ryou and I. "What I wanted to tell you is that I'm going back to America for a couple of weeks."

We jumped at the sound of Kyou's glass hitting the table; fortunately, neither broke. "No…"

"Like I said; it's just for a couple of weeks," he repeated, turning to Kyou. "All of you will be busy in school, so I'll be back before you know it."

"No…" Kyou repeated. "But…B-But why?"

He chuckled awkwardly as he scratched his head. "I've…got some things I need to take care of back in the States; I need to talk with my sponsor, for one thing."

Kyou was getting more animate by the second. "But…But can't you just call him from here?"

"Kyou, calm down," I said. "It's just going to be for two weeks."

"I…I know," she said, looking down at her lap as she fidgeted. Was she planning on speaking in ellipses from then on? "It's just…"

"Onee-chan…"

"It's okay!" Fuuko exclaimed, making a fist as she shot to her feet. "He'll go and then come back and then you can start flirting with him again!"

"F-Fuuko!" I nearly yelled. "Sit down!"

"I do not understand," Kotomi said, shaking her head. "Why would Kyou-chan wish to flirt with him?"

"I'll explain later," I told her, not wanting to get off-topic. "So you'll be gone for two weeks, huh? Well, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss having you around."

"Me too," Ryou admitted.

"Thanks, you two," he said. "I have no problem admitting that it won't be an easy two weeks, but I know it'll be for the best in the long run."

"Well, if you say so then that's good enough for me," I concluded. "Can I help with-"

"THERE YOU ARE!" A whiny, nasally voice sounded, and I internally groaned as Sunohara stormed up to our table. "Whoa, Okazaki! You're a real ladies' man, aren't you? Four beauties at one table, and…who're you?" he said, apparently (and finally) noticing the pastor.

Jeff got to his feet and bowed before offering his hand. "Pastor Jeff Ashton," he greeted, and I found myself mouthing along. "Call me whatever you want, as long as it's not a profanity."

"Yeah…" Sunohara replied somewhat lamely as he accepted the handshake. "Okazaki, how do you know this guy?"

"How rude!" Fuuko exclaimed in a scolding tone. "Ashton-sensei is a great man! Show some respect!"

"I…I'm not a great man…" Jeff said, clearly flustered. "I just worship one."

"And that's what makes you great!" Fuuko countered.

"Wait…Ashton…sensei?" Sunohara asked, narrowing his eyes. "Are you a teacher or something?"

"Sort of," Jeff replied. "I'm a pastor of a local church."

"He teaches people about God, okay?" I interjected. "Can we please move on? Anyway, I'd like to come see you off, if that's okay."

"I'd welcome it, actually," Jeff admitted as he settled back into his seat, and I glanced over to see Kyou looking down at the table. "You've grown on me, if you will. I'd like your faces to be the last I see before taking off."

"Well, I'll be there," I decided, then looked around at the rest of the group. "What about the rest of you?"

"I'll be there," Kyou answered without hesitation as she looked back up.

"Me too," Ryou said.

"We'll understand if you two aren't interested," I said to Kotomi and Fuuko as Ryou nodded. "I know you don't know Pastor Jeff at all, so-"

"I'm going!" Fuuko yelled, raising her hand.

"Ooookay," I said. "If you really want to, I guess."

Fuuko just nodded vigorously in response.

I looked to Kotomi to find her staring at me. "Kotomi-chan? You coming with us?"

She stared at me for several seconds before answering: "I-I will come with you, Tomoya-kun."

Great; it wasn't lost on me that she said she would come with me as opposed to the group. "All right, then let's figure out when we're going to meet up." I looked to Pastor Jeff. "When do you have to be there for your flight?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Well, my plane takes off at-"

"HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Sunohara complained.

"What about you," I snorted. "Don't tell me you want to come, too?"

He simply stood there, breathing heavily, and I could swear I saw steam coming out of his nose. "OKAZAKI, YOU BASTAAARD!" he yelled as he ran off in what seemed a random direction.

We watched him until his dust cloud started to dissipate, then Pastor Jeff leaned my way. "Should I contact the school to see about talking with him?"

"You could try," I replied. "But I don't know how much good it would do."

* * *

Fortunately, his flight didn't leave too early in the morning. Unfortunately, Kyou was still having trouble with the idea of him leaving.

"Please don't go," I could hear her whimpering as she shifted her weight from foot to foot; she reminded me of a dog begging its master not to leave as she looked up into Pastor Jeff's face.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou said sadly. "Please calm down; he'll only be gone for two weeks."

"I know," she whimpered again as she continued to gaze up into his face. "It'll be really hard, though."

"Kyou…" Jeff said, and I could tell that he was trying to keep his emotions in check. "I've…never been missed like this before. This is…new to me."

Kyou started trembling even more severely when we heard the call for Jeff's flight. "No…no…" she started whimpering again; at least she didn't try to grab him.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou said again as she put an arm across her sister's shoulders and drew her into an embrace. Kotomi, who hadn't said much of anything since our arrival at the airport, also moved to Kyou's side and laid a hand on her back.

Pastor Jeff put down the smaller bag and extended his hand as I walked up to him. "Listen…take care of Kyou, okay?"

"Sure thing," I said. "I'll do my best to keep…her…" I trailed off as I saw Fuuko watching us and had an idea. "We'll keep her busy," I promised as we shook hands.

"I'll hold you to that," he said with a wink, then looked over to Kyou, who was still watching him with two girls attached to her. "I'd better do something about this," he sighed. "Watch my bag, please?"

"Sure," I said, then watched as he headed over to the trio of girls.

He politely waved off Ryou and Kotomi, leaving Kyou staring up at him with wide, teary eyes. He shook his head with a gentle smile and a chuckle. "Oh, Kyou…you have such a tender heart, don't you?"

"I know you won't be gone long," she whimpered. "But I'll still miss you."

He smiled down at her for a moment longer, then put down his suitcase, took her head in both hands and, as my jaw hit the floor, kissed her gently on the forehead.

When he pulled away, I could see Kyou, frozen in place, her eyes closed and lips slightly parted. As he retrieved his suitcase, her eyes flickered open. She suddenly gasped, and I realized that she had been holding her breath the whole time.

"I love you," she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"I know," he said with a tender smile. "Thank you." With that, he returned and picked up his smaller bag and headed to the ramp to board his flight, though his steps looked…heavier.

Ryou cautiously moved up next to her sister again. "Onee-chan?"

"He…kissed me…" she said in a voice filled with wonder. "H-He k-kissed me…"

"He did," Kotomi confirmed. "Are you happy?"

Kyou's breathing quickened, and I could see the flood of tears starting to form. "I'm so happy I could…could…"

And she did.


	41. Mental Blocks

**Chapter Forty-One: Mental Blocks**

Lunchtime found me standing at the front of an unused classroom with a wooden block in my hand and Fuuko standing next to me. "So, here's what we're going to do," I said to the assembled group. "We're going to make seven-hundred of these to invite the student body to her sister's wedding…" And also to keep Kyou's mind off of Pastor Jeff for the next week-and-a-half. "Hey, when is her wedding, anyway?"

Fuuko looked sheepishly at the desktop before her. "Nee-san hasn't set a date, yet."

My shoulders slumped. "Seriously? Did you come into this with any kind of plan?"

To her credit, Fuuko looked like she wanted to sink into the floor. "Fuuko's sorry…"

"Tomoya," Ryou said, "please don't be angry with her."

"I'm not really angry…" I grumbled. "Maybe a little annoyed…anyway, how many have you carved so far?"

I started to worry when she started counting on her fingers; had she really made so few? "I'd…have to count them to be sure, but I think…one-hundred and fifty?"

My eyes bugged out. "That's…actually a lot," I said, feeling more than a little admiration. "You're sure motivated, aren't you?"

She nodded vigorously. "Nee-san is waiting until I get better before she gets married."

"Wait a minute…" Something wasn't adding up. "If she's waiting for your recovery, how's making all these starfish supposed to help?"

Fuuko could only look at the floor.

"Tomoya-kun? What does she mean by 'get better'?" Kotomi asked with a puzzled expression. "She does not look unwell."

I looked over at Fuuko, then nudged her to get her attention. "It'd be a lot easier if I could tell them what's going on." She studied me for a minute before nodding in resignation, so I turned back to the rest of the group. "Okay, this may not make any sense, but…" I took a deep breath. "Fuuko here is actually a spirit; her body is in a hospital in the next town."

"A spirit?" Kotomi asked while examining our kouhai. "Have you visited her at the hospital?"

"We haven't," Ryou answered. "But…I can say that the girl you see here is a spirit."

"What happened to you?" Kotomi was clearly concerned for our small friend. "Why are you in the hospital?"

"I'm not sure," Fuuko said. "The doctors say I was hit by a car on the way home from my orientation."

"Oh, you poor thing," Ryou said with obvious compassion.

I glanced over at Kyou to see her watching Fuuko with a sad look. "If your sister won't marry until you get better, shouldn't you be focused on getting better?" I asked.

"I should, but…" she tapped the floor with her toe. "I want to make sure that a lot of people come to her wedding to Yoshino-san!"

"Is that her fiancé?" Kyou asked, finally getting into the conversation.

Fuuko nodded vigorously again; what an energetic girl. "He's soooooo cool!"

"So what we're going to do," I said, trying to get the conversation back on track, "is help her carve these starfish. She needs one for each of the students, so we'll need about…seven hundred? Is that right?"

"Seven hundred."

"So all we need to do is carve five-hundred and…fifty…man, that's a lot." I ran my hands through my hair. "Ryou and I have already committed ourselves to helping out, but it'd be great if all of you could help."

"Is there anyone else we could ask?" Kyou suggested.

I blew air noisily between my lips. "I…Well…" I had helped Furukawa with her play… "Let me talk to a few people and see who I can come up with."

* * *

Before heading home after school, I headed to the old school building while Ryou dealt with her usual swarm of tarot-hungry girls.

"O-Okazaki-san!" Furukawa greeted as I entered the Theater Club room. "W-Welcome!"

"Hey, Furukawa," I greeted with a raised hand. "How's the club doing?"

"We're doing great!" she chirped. "We're working on our next play."

"Furukawa-senpai's missed you," a familiar voice called out in a singsong tone.

"I-Ichika-san!" the Theater Club president said, blushing furiously.

"Eh-heh," was the only response I would allow myself. "Listen, would you be willing to help me with something?"

"M-Me?" she squeaked, pressing her fists against her cheeks.

"Well, you and your club," I quickly amended. "A friend of mine needs some carvings made and we could really use some help making them. I figured since I helped you with the play you might be willing to help me out," I finished, giving her a meaningful look.

I thought her face would burst into flame as she turned to her club members. "We-We're going to help Okazaki-san with his carvings, okay? S-So…" She somehow pivoted back to me without visibly moving a muscle. "When are you going to do this?"

That was a good question. "I'm…not sure; sorry."

"That's okay," Furukawa said, the blush finally draining from her face. "You let us know when you need us, and w-we'll be there."

"Seriously?" I said. "I mean, I don't want to take-"

"It's okay!" she exclaimed as she suddenly stepped forward, causing me to take a step back. "Y-You let us know, and we'll be there!"

"Thanks, Furukawa." I counted the number of girls in the room and smiled…yeah, I figured Fuuko would be happy.

* * *

"Sure, I'll help."

I blinked at the Student Council President. "Are you sure? I haven't even told you what I need."

She shook her head. "Doesn't matter; you and Pastor Ashton saved my butt with the festival, so you can count on me."

"Okay," I said, completely floored. "Um, thanks."

That was quick.

* * *

I tugged at my collar as I stood at the front of the classroom with a wooden block in my hand. "So, here's what we need to do," I said to the assembled group. "Ibuki-san here needs seven-hundred of these made to invite the student body to her sister's wedding and she's already created one-hundred-and-fifty of them. That means we need to help her make five-hundred-and-fifty more."

"Understood," Tomoyo said with her arms crossed; most of the girls from the Theater Club whispered amongst themselves at the sight of the Student Council president. "Let's get started, then."

"Are you sure about this?" I pressed. "I mean, this is probably going to take a while, and I know you have your council duties, and-"

"Let's get started then," she repeated as she picked up one of Fuuko's starfish and studied it.

I sat where I could keep an eye on Kyou. For the most part she seemed okay, but every once in a while she'd stop working, lower her head, close her eyes, and talk to herself. Then she'd open her eyes and start working again. I was tempted on more than one occasion to ask her about it, but figured that she was trying to encourage herself, so I decided not to risk distracting her.

We spent about an hour scratching away at practice blocks, trying to duplicate Fuuko's style of starfish. Well, everyone but Fuuko tried; she was an expert and, by the time I had to leave, she had finished three starfish while I had one and Ryou's, Kyou's, and the ones from the Theater Club members looked about half-done.

"I'm sorry," Furukawa said to Fuuko for the umpteenth time. "I guess we're not very good at this yet."

"It's okay," Fuuko offered reassuringly. "I'm grateful for everyone's help."

"Every little bit counts," I added. "We're just going to have to get better at this."

"You're right," Ryou replied with a giggle. "You're so…so…"

"Weird?" Fuuko suggested, causing the two of us to laugh while she stood there, confused.

"There." We heard a THUMP and looked over to see Tomoyo putting a completed starfish on her desk…next to about ten others. "What?" she said in response to our amazed stares.

"Amazing, Tomoyo-chan…" Kotomi breathed. "I do not even have one done, and to see you with so many…"

"I-It's not that impressive…" Tomoyo said haltingly as she moved her foot, sending a large chunk of block sliding across the floor.

I looked over to Fuuko, who stood staring at Tomoyo with wide eyes. "I think we'll be done before long."

"Yeah," she replied, nodding dumbly.


	42. The Return

**Chapter Forty-Two: The Return**

We stared at the pile of wooden starfish on the table before us. Almost two weeks of hard work…

"Done!" Tomoyo exclaimed as the Theater Club cheered. "Seven-hundred wedding invitations."

"Now all we have to do is hand them out," said Ryou.

"We also have to figure out how to get Fu-chan's sister and her boyfriend to get married," Furukawa added.

"Tomoya-kun can do it," Kotomi replied, taking a step closer to me. "He understands people; he will figure something out."

I had been thinking about it for the past two weeks…while carving and keeping an eye on Kyou, of course. "I'd do it," I said, "but Fuuko's the only Ibuki who knows me. Hey Furukawa, wasn't Fuuko's sister one of your teachers for First Year?"

"She was my art teacher, yes," she confirmed. "I don't know if she'd remember me, though."

"Maybe not, but I still think you'd have a better chance than me," I told her as I laid a hand on her shoulder. "How about this; we'll put our heads together and figure out what kinds of things to say, and you go talk to her. Would you be willing to do that? For Fuuko?"

Furukawa blushed and stammered until Kyou's phone rang, startling us. "Hello?"

You could hear a pin drop in the room as we watched Kyou on the phone. Somehow, I had a feeling…

"J-Jeff? Hi! Wh-when are you coming back?" A pause, followed by a gasp. "Tomorrow?!" she squealed as she shot to her feet and hurried to the front of the room. "Let me get something to write with…okay, go ahead and tell me…Flight 612…okay…okay…and you'll be here about five-thirty tomorrow evening?" she asked as she gave her sister a 'victory' sign. "O-Okay…w-we'll see y-you then. Bye-bye."

I couldn't help but smile as I felt excited for Kyou as she ended the call. "So he's flying in tomorrow evening?"

She swallowed several times as the tears flowed. "Y-Yeah; h-he's coming in on Flight 612," she replied as she started trembling.

"How long was he gone?" Furukawa asked.

"Too long!" Kyou exclaimed, laughing through her tears as she hugged herself. "Way…too...long!"

"I am so happy for you, Kyou-chan," Kotomi cooed. "Now you can resume flirting with him! How exciting!"

Half of the Theater Club snorted, presumably in response to Kotomi's attempt at encouragement.

"I-I'll just be happy to see him again." Kyou said as she melted into a puddle of tears, under the care and comfort of her sister.

* * *

I checked my watch again as we waited for Jeff's flight to arrive. At Kyou's insistence, we had arrived about a couple hours early to make sure we had enough time to get to the correct gate. I looked up and smiled at the sight of Kyou, fidgeting and fussing with her eyes firmly locked on the monitor as her sister, Fuuko, and Kotomi all tried to keep her calm.

I headed over to join them, and I noticed that it got a lot warmer the closer I got; Kyou's fidgeting was certainly having an effect on the temperature. "See it yet?" I asked as I stepped up next to her to watch the monitor.

"Not yet," she replied as she nibbled on the tip of her thumb. Considering how she was when he flew out, she was actually pretty relaxed. Excited, but mellow.

I looked over at her with a smile. "Have you been okay the last two weeks?"

"I-It's been tough," she admitted, "but you keeping me busy really helped; thank you."

"You're welcome," I said. Finally, I had to satisfy a curiosity. "I noticed that while you were working on the starfish you'd talk to yourself. What was that all about?"

"I wasn't talking to myself," she said, shaking her head with her eyes still on the monitor. "I was…"

I waited for her to continue, but she didn't say anything more. "Kyou? You were…?"

Her gaze finally left the monitor, and she smiled self-consciously as she looked anywhere but at me. "I was…trying to talk to God."

"Seriously?" I said. "What did you talk to him about?"

"Tomoya!" she scolded with a disapproving look. "Those were private conversations!"

"Sorry," I said. "My curiosity got the better of me."

"That's okay," she said quietly as she looked back to the monitor. "I was just asking him to protect Jeff while he traveled – you know, fly safely there and back – and that he would get whatever he needed while he was over there, whatever it was. And…" she blushed lightly. "Of course, I was also asking him to bring Jeff back to me."

"Of course," I said with a sympathetic smile. So, she was 'praying', huh? An interesting development.

"Kyou-chan," Kotomi interrupted, "Is Ashton-sensei's flight number 612?"

"Yeah," she replied as she looked back up at the monitor, then gasped. "Th-There it is! There he is!" she yelped as she grabbed on to me.

"Yup, there he is," I agreed while trying to suppress a chuckle as I looked up at the monitor as well; It was interesting seeing a side of Kyou I never knew she had…and kinda funny sometimes. "Flight 612 should be landing in about thirty minutes, huh?"

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod…" Kyou sounded like she was starting to hyperventilate. "I c-can't wait thirty minutes."

I finally let myself chuckle as I tapped Ryou on the shoulder. "Would you take her somewhere to sit down? She sounds like she's about to pass out."

"S-Sure," she replied with a giggle, then gently touched her sister's arm. "Come on, Onee-chan."

"N-No!" Kyou yelled, trying to wriggle out of her sister's grip. "I need to watch the monitor!"

It took just about all three of the other girls to convince her to sit for at least a little while. "I'll keep an eye on the monitor for you and let you know when it's five minutes away, okay?" I offered.

"O-Okay…" she stammered as she wobbled over to a nearby seat, falling into it when she got there.

I looked back to the monitor but let my mind wander; I had the feeling that whatever Pastor Jeff was doing was more than just talking with his mentor; like Kyou said, he could have just called. What did he need to do so badly that he had to fly almost halfway around the world in order to do it? I had no reason to believe that he was lying about anything, but…

Somewhere in my musings time had passed, and when I refocused on the monitor, it showed that Fight 612 was due to arrive in about ten minutes, so I looked over to Kyou to find her chatting excitedly with the other girls. "Hey, Kyou? He's about ten minutes away."

She was at my side in an instant. "R-Really?"

The others gathered around, Ryou taking my hand, and we watched the monitor silently for the next few minutes. Every so often I'd steal a glance over at the older twin to find her staring wide-eyed at the monitor, and I'd smile to myself; I had never seen her so excited about anything before, and it was refreshing to see. "He's almost heeeeeere…" I teased lightly.

"Stop that, Tomoya," she huffed, her eyes still on the monitor. "That's not nice."

"Sorry."

Fortunately the plane landed without incident, and we moved to the window to watch it taxi to our gate. To her credit, Kyou didn't press her face against the glass or anything embarrassing like that.

The plane came to a stop, the ramp was extended, and Kyou was beside herself as she watched the passengers disembark. Finally, we saw a familiar face among the passengers; a very tired-looking Pastor Jeff headed our way, and I jogged up to see if he needed help with his bags. "Welcome back, pastor," I greeted as I reached for his suitcase, which he handed over with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Tomoya," he said, then rotated the now-free shoulder.

"I can take the other bag, if you'd like," I offered.

"Thank you again," he said as he extended his arm.

I relieved him of his load, only for him to immediately take on another in the form of Kyou, with her arms wrapped around his middle. "Welcome home, Jeff!"

"Thank you, thank you," he chuckled tiredly. "It's good to be back."

"Do you have any more luggage to collect?" I asked.

"Nope, you have everything," he replied as we started to walk, Kyou having claimed one of his arms. "I traveled light this time."

"I'll say," I said as I hefted the suitcase; for its size, it didn't seem very heavy.

We met up with the others and caught a bus to the nearest train station. Then we boarded the train headed for Hikarizaka and took our seats. Fortunately the train wasn't too full, so Jeff and I could actually sit with the others; unfortunately, that meant that Jeff would spend the whole trip with Kyou snuggled up to him; oddly enough, he didn't seem to mind it. The nice thing was that Ryou and I could snuggle too, and we held each other with her legs draped across my lap and her head against my shoulder.

It would have been more enjoyable if Kotomi hadn't also been trying to rest her head against my other shoulder. "You are comfortable, Tomoya-kun," she cooed as she pressed into me.

I was starting to feel like a sandwich. "Th-Thanks, Kotomi-chan," I squirmed as Ryou gave her a puzzled look. "Could…could you get off me, please? I'm feeling squished, here."

"Oh! I am sorry!" she squeaked as she sat up. "I did not mean to hurt you."

I sighed in relief as I looked across to Kyou, who wore a contented smile as she leaned up against Pastor Jeff with her head against his shoulder. What I still found strange was that it didn't seem to bother him like it would have before.

* * *

My mentor was also pretty quiet for most of the walk home from the station; the trip must have been exhausting. "You okay, Jeff? You're a lot quieter than usual."

"Tomoya!" Kyou scolded. "Don't be rude! He just got home!"

"It's okay, Kyou," Jeff said. "To answer your question…yeah, I'm pretty tired, but I also have a lot on my mind."

"You can talk to us about it, if you want," Ryou offered. "We don't mind."

He chuckled softly. "Thank you Ryou, but it's stuff that I've been wrestling with, and now I just have to act…or rather, figure out how to proceed from here."

"Gotcha," I said. "Sometimes we just have to work things out on our own."

"Right."

"I'm here for you if you need me," Kyou said as her face erupted in a furious blush.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou giggled sympathetically.

To my surprise, he reached over and patted her hand. "I know you are; thank you."

We arrived at the church and waited as Pastor Jeff wrestled with the lock. We took his belongings in, and Kyou whipped up one of her miracle meals for him. "The rest of us can eat at home," she explained as the pots boiled, "but you've had a long day, and you're probably jet-lagged."

"You're right about that," he sighed. "I don't know how many times I almost fell asleep on the train coming here."

"I saw five," I replied.

"Four," Ryou said.

"The point is: yeah, I'm pretty tired," he said, managing an amused look our way. "So thank you for making dinner for me."

"Y-You're welcome," she sputtered, nearly dropping a spoon into one of the pots.

We finished helping him get settled in, then the twins and I left for their place. We were quiet for most of the walk, probably due to all the excitement from earlier.

"Is it just me, or did Ashton-sensei seem…different?" Ryou asked as we approached the Fujibayashi home.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm not exactly sure how, but he seems more…relaxed? I mean, he was pretty laid-back to begin with, but…"

"He's still 'Jeff'," Kyou said, hugging herself.

As I headed home, I found myself wondering how Jeff's return to America affected him, and how much it would be for the better…and how much for the worse.


	43. A Friendly Get-Together

**Chapter Forty-Three: A Friendly Get-Together**

I looked up from my manga as I heard the phone ring and hurried to answer it. "Hello, this is Okazaki."

" _Tomoya-san?"_

"Hey, Pastor!" I greeted; I hadn't talked to him since the morning after his return from America. He had told me that he'd call me after he got settled back in, so I was relieved to hear his voice again. "Are you finally back in Japan?"

I heard a chuckle from his end. _"Yeah, it's not so much the jet-lag as it is just getting used to being home."_

"I'll bet."

" _Listen, I need to ask a favor of you. Can you hear me out?"_

"Sure."

" _Thanks."_ There was a long pause before he spoke again. _"Listen, I'm…um…going to the café to meet with Ryu-san, and I was hoping you'd be willing to come with me."_

"Shouldn't be a problem," I said. "What time did you want to meet? And where?"

" _Well, I'm supposed to meet with him for lunch at noon at the café by the station, so how about eleven, eleven-fifteen?"_

"I can do that," I said. "Saturday, right?"

" _Yeah, Saturday."_

"Okay, I'll see you then."

" _Thanks, Tomoya; I really appreciate this."_

As I hung up I thought about why he would want me to come with him. He would be meeting with the twins' dad for lunch, so it had to be about something important. Maybe Kyou had been harassing him or something? I shook my head, figuring that I'd find out on Saturday.

* * *

I met up with Jeff just outside the main entrance to the church; for some reason, he was pacing. "Ah, there you are, Tomoya."

"Are you okay, boss?" I asked. "You seem…nervous or something."

"I am nervous," he admitted. "That's why I asked you to come along."

"So what's going on? Is Kyou harassing you again? Is that what you're going to talk to him about?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "It's…well, come with me and you'll find out." He set off, walking at a brisk pace, and I followed.

He didn't say anything the whole way to the café, and the few times that I glanced at him he appeared to be…focused.

We arrived at the café and quickly found Ryu. "Ah, Tomoya-san; I didn't expect to see you here."

"I asked him to come along," Jeff told him. "Is that okay?"

"I have no problem sharing a meal with my future son-in-law," he answered with an affable smile and a wink.

I chuckled at his choice of words. "Thanks, Dad."

"So, should we talk first or eat? To be honest, I'd like to at least order my food first," Dad said.

"That's fine," Jeff said, and I noticed that he was rubbing his hands on his pant legs.

So we ordered our lunches. I had saved some of my allowance for this, so I was able to pay my own way, which felt good.

A few minutes later our meal arrived, and Dad looked over at my mentor. "Ashton-sensei, would you like to pray for our food?"

Pastor Jeff blinked; apparently he hadn't been expecting Dad to make the request. "S-Sure, thank you." He looked to the sky this time, just as he had the last time we were here. "Lord Jesus, thank You for our time together. Give us knowledge and wisdom so we may have a…a…" I'd never heard him stumble during a prayer before, which was surprising. "…that our time together would be fruitful and beneficial. Thank You for your provision, and help us to stay within Your will for us. May Your will be done; Amen."

"Amen," Dad and I repeated; saying the word still felt weird, but not as weird as it used to.

"So," Dad said as he reached for his chopsticks, "why have you asked me here? What can I do for you?"

"Well, sir…" Jeff said, then licked his lips. "Would I be rude if I just went straight to the point?"

"Not at all," Dad replied before taking a bite of his meal. "And I thought I told you to call me 'Ryu'."

"You did, sir-er, Ryu," Jeff said, then licked his lips again. "I asked you here to ask you for permission to…to…for permission to…"

I watched with more than a little concern as my typically verbally adept mentor struggled to finish a sentence.

"Oh, for crying out loud…" Dad said, putting down his chopsticks. "Just spit it out; you're asking for permission to date my daughter, right?"

I paled at almost the same time Jeff did. "P-Pastor…?"

He glanced at me before looking back at Dad. "Yes; I am asking for permission to date your daughter, Kyou," he replied evenly, finally sounding more like the man I knew.

I was floored; had something changed during his time back in America? Had his mentor said something to him about this?

Dad sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair. "Hmm…well, let's see…" He looked over his shoulder. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

Jeff's mouth fell open and his face nearly burst into flame as Kyou appeared from around a nearby corner of the café. Her cheeks were pinked, and tears pooled in her widened eyes as she approached the table and slowly lowered herself into a seat next to her father, her eyes fixed on my furiously blushing mentor. I looked to Dad to see him with an amused look on his face.

"K-Kyou?" Jeff finally said with a look of disbelief.

"You…You really want to…to date me?" Kyou asked incredulously.

Jeff simply nodded with an awkward smile. "I…I'm sorry to take so long."

Dad smiled and I gaped as Kyou's chest started heaving. "I've…waited so long…" she said, rising from her seat and making her way around the table, "…I've been waiting…"

Jeff also got to his feet, and we watched as he faced her and spread his arms. "Would you accept someone like me?"

His arms weren't empty for long, as she threw herself into them, sobbing. "Th-Thank you, Jeff! Thank you so much!"

* * *

"Good for you, sweetheart," Dad said as she and Pastor Jeff sat next to each other, holding hands. "You've been waiting a long time for this."

"I'm really sorry," Jeff said yet again.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Dad grunted. "I'm sure you had things you had to deal with first, right?"

"I did," he admitted.

"Is that why you went back to America when you did?" I asked.

He nodded bashfully. "Yup."

"May we know why?" Dad asked.

"Is it because of Jessica?" Kyou asked with a sympathetic look.

"I…wanted to honor her memory," Jeff replied. "And, honestly, this is one of the things that I disagree with Pastor Hamilton over; whether it's okay to remarry or not."

I wanted to ask about the differences, but I didn't think it was the time. "Is that why you met with him?"

"I thought…well, maybe I should just explain the whole thing," my mentor said. "Before I decided to go back to America I had been receiving an impression that I needed to remarry. I questioned it, and even fought it, worried that it might be Satan just…doing what he does. The feeling wouldn't go away, so I went back to America to visit my mentor, Pastor Hamilton, to talk with him about it, and to…well, to visit my late wife's grave."

"Her grave?" I was surprised. "I thought Christians didn't pray to the dead."

"We don't," he replied. "It was…I guess you could say it was more psychological than anything. We don't stop being human when we become Christian; we're forgiven for our sins. Anyway, I visited Jessica's grave for a closure of sorts, and that's when I really felt…no, that's not right…" He shook his head. "It's getting kinda personal, now."

"It's okay, Jeff," Kyou said as she patted his arm. "You don't have to tell us if you're not ready."

"No, I want to," Jeff countered. "See, when I say 'impression', I'm referring to when God talks to me; it's not a voice like yours or mine, it's like I hear it here," he said, tapping his chest. "I understand if it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. I've followed that 'voice' many times and have been blessed richly as a result. In fact…" He looked over at Kyou with a smile. "Asking permission to date Kyou was a result of listening to that voice."

"And I'm really happy you did," Kyou said in a voice filled with emotion as she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Well, I don't get all this God stuff," Dad admitted, "but as long as you treat my daughter right you'll have no complaints from me."

"I will," Jeff promised, then turned to Kyou. "Listen; a-are you available tonight? I'd like to take you to d-dinner. I know it's short notice, so I'll understand if-"

"I'm free," Kyou interrupted. "Right, Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart," Dad chuckled. "You're free tonight."

"What about you?" Jeff asked me. "Again, I understand it's short notice, but I'd like this to be a double-date if possible."

"I'm game," I replied. "Just have to check with Ryou."

"I'll let her know that she's available," Dad said with a mischievous smile and another wink. "Where and what time?"

Pastor Jeff looked to me. "Would you be willing to meet me at the church…no you've done that quite a bit already. How about I meet you at your place at five-o-clock and we'll pick the girls up from their house and go to the restaurant from there?"

"Sounds good to me," I said, then looked to Kyou. "Would you two be okay with that?"

"Being escorted to a restaurant by this hunk of manliness?" Kyou asked as she snuggled up to her new boyfriend. "Absolutely!"

"K-Kyou!" Pastor Jeff sputtered, turning an interesting shade of red.

"Take it easy, Kyou; you've just started dating," her father admonished. "Give him a chance to get comfortable with you before you start embarrassing him."

"But it's the truth!" she protested. "I mean, just look at him!"

"K-Kyou!" Pastor Jeff sputtered, turning an even more interesting shade of red.

"Kyou…" Dad warned.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry," she said, looking far from 'sorry' if her catlike smile was any indication. "I'll behave…for now."

"For now?" Jeff said, putting a hand on his forehead. "What have I gotten myself into?"


	44. Dinner Date

**Chapter Forty-Four: Dinner Date**

"You nervous?" I asked Pastor Jeff as we walked along the road to the Fujibayashi home.

"Not really…not anymore, at least," he said. "The hardest part was talking to her father; I know that I'm…well, not as young as she is. If he had answered 'no', I would've started to wonder if I'd heard him correctly."

"You mean heard her dad correctly?"

"No, whether I had heard God correctly."

"Yeah…I could see that being a problem." I mused; then I clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, I'm glad he accepted you. I figured he would; the whole family's crazy about you, after all."

"That's…humbling," he said as he studied the ground ahead of us.

We arrived at the twins' house and Jeff knocked on the door. Like last time, I heard a lot of thumping from inside before the door opened, once again revealing two visions of loveliness. Ryou wore her white dress from our date at the amusement park, white ribbon and all, while Kyou wore something a little more daring; a black, form-fitting dress, just enough to show her curves but not so much that it would be indecent.

She twirled a lock of her hair anxiously as she looked up at her date. "Is…this okay? Does it look slutty?"

"Not at all," Jeff replied as he took her free hand and kissed it. "You look lovely."

She smiled bashfully as she averted her eyes.

"What about me, Tomoya? Am I pretty?" Ryou asked hesitantly.

I pretended to study her for a minute before taking her hands to pull her to me and press my lips to her cheek; I internally smiled as I felt her cheek heat up. "Beyond words, beautiful," I said as I pulled away.

"Are they here?" I heard Rinko say as she rounded the corner from the living room. "Oh, you boys look so handsome!"

"Thank you, Rinko-san," Jeff replied with a bow. He had worn a light gray suit and white shirt with no tie and black shoes. I was wearing my school uniform, since it was the nicest suit – actually, the only suit – I had.

"He certainly does," Kyou said as she rested her hands on Jeff's chest and gazed up into his face.

"Onee-chan…" Ryou hissed. "Mom's right there!"

"Kyou…" Mom warned. "I understand you're happy to see him, but a little self-control, please?"

"Yes, Mom," Kyou replied, stepping away from Jeff.

"Well," we heard Dad grunt as he came up behind his wife. "You kids have…" he stopped himself as he looked at my mentor. "The four of you have a good time, eh?"

"We'll do our best," I replied.

"We'll have them back by…is ten-o-clock okay?" Jeff asked with a concerned look. "I don't want to cut into anything you have going on, but I also don't want to cut our time too short, either."

"No, ten's fine," Dad replied. "Have a good time."

"Thanks, Daddy!" Kyou chirped.

"And behave yourselves," Mom added.

"We will, ma'am," Jeff and I said, almost at the same time.

"She wasn't talking about you two," Dad said with a meaningful look at his daughters, who blushed appropriately. "I don't want to hear about any birthday-type antics when you come home, understood?"

"Yes, sir," the girls replied in unison.

"Now get out of here," he said with a wink. "My wife and I are going to enjoy some quality time."

I found myself wondering what he meant by that almost all the way to the restaurant.

* * *

"This is nice," Ryou breathed as we took our seats. "Onee-chan and I haven't been to a restaurant in a long time."

"Well, with cooking skills like Kyou's, who'd want to?" I quipped.

"T-Tomoya!" Kyou blushed as she glanced at Jeff, who simply smiled at her.

I smiled as well until I noticed my girl looking down at the table with a sad expression, and I realized that she might have been feeling self-conscious about her own cooking. "Ryou?" I reached across the table for her hand, which she gave. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything bad about your cooking."

"It's okay," she replied quietly. "I know I'm a work-in-progress."

"At least there's 'progress', right?" Pastor Jeff said with an encouraging smile.

"She's been doing soooo much better in the kitchen!" Kyou gushed. "She still burns stuff every once in a while, but she's a lot better than before!"

"Really?" Jeff asked, his eyebrows rising. "That's great, Ryou! When did this happen? I mean, when did you notice an improvement?"

She glanced hesitantly around the table before answering. "When…When you yelled at me, Ashton-sensei?"

"When I yelled at you?" he echoed. "I don't recall ever yelling at you."

"I think I know what she's talking about," I interjected. "I can't remember what word you used, but it was when Kyou and I had to hold her and you were yelling something."

"Oh…right…" he said, his face coloring. "Yeah…the exorcism; the…casting out of that spirit…yeah."

"That's it; exorcism," I said. "Anyway, I think that's what she's talking about."

He turned suddenly-excited eyes on my girlfriend. "You really think that helped?"

She nodded bashfully. "After you did that…about a day or so…I felt freer than I think I ever have. I wasn't as worried about upsetting people or not being good enough for them. I felt free to make mistakes and learn from them instead of feeling like I had to get everything right the first time."

"You were relieved of the burden of having to be perfect," Pastor Jeff said in a melodramatic voice.

"Yeah," she giggled. "I'm free to not be perfect."

"Well, I'm about as happy as I can be," he said as he reached over to pat our joined hands. "And you have someone as neat as Tomoya here to give you the grace you need to stumble while you find your way."

"I'm so lucky," she gushed as she gave my hand a squeeze.

"Not as lucky as I am, though," Kyou quipped as she took Jeff's hand in hers, though her expression told me that she wasn't too serious.

"How do you feel, boss?" I asked. "Do you feel lucky to have a girl like Kyou as your girlfriend?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't feel lucky – h-hold on a minute, Kyou!" He raised a hand as her expression turned shocked. "What I want to say is that I feel blessed."

"Blessed?" Ryou asked. "What do you mean?"

"Let's order our meals first, and then I'll explain, okay?" he said while giving Kyou's hand a squeeze.

"We probably should," I said with a smirk. "These explanations can take a while."

* * *

"My understanding is that luck is something that's a result of chance, of randomness. When you think about it, the chances of Kyou and I meeting are pretty slim. I was doing my thing at church, while she was doing her thing at…at school." He sounded like he was still a little uncomfortable with the idea of dating a high-schooler, not that I blamed him for it. "We only met because of the festival set-up, which I would never have thought to get involved in had I not met Tomoya, who I would not have met had he not run off from school-"

"Okay, okay, I think we get the idea," I said as my face heated up; I really didn't want to backtrack any further, considering my reason for being in the park in the first place.

"Not to mention the chances of me coming to Japan in the first place and meeting someone who…cares about me…the way she does…"

I smiled as he struggled through some embarrassing odds.

"…I think I'll stop there," he said, thoroughly red-faced. "My point is that I don't consider being here with all of you, with Kyou, as a stroke of luck; I consider it a blessing from God."

I mulled this over; I could think of a couple of other possibilities, but that didn't negate his possibility. Another thought brought an impish grin to my face. "So are you saying you think Kyou is a blessing?"

In spite of his reddened face, he looked over at his girl with a contented smile. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"J-Jeff…" Kyou whimpered, quickly reaching for her napkin.

"Wow, Ashton-sensei…" Ryou breathed. "I'm not sure what to think of all this, but I know that I like your idea of a blessing more than just luck."

The server arrived with our meals, and I found myself lost in thought as I ate. Did I consider Ryou a 'blessing'? I looked over at her while she talked with the other two; I knew I didn't deserve her, but…did anyone deserve anybody? Had I been taking my relationship with Ryou for granted? Had I been taking the idea of relationships for granted? I remembered when Pastor Jeff had told me that he stopped taking things for granted when he found God…no, when he was found by God was what he had said to me. How had that happened?

"Tomoya?" I snapped out of my reverie to see the pastor waving his hand in front of my face. "You still with us?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Must've been pretty serious," Kyou said. "My man has been trying to get your attention for about a minute."

"What's up?" I asked before taking another bite of food.

"Nothing, really," he replied. "I was just starting to worry because you stopped eating."

"I'm fine, thanks," I said. "Just have a lot on my mind."

…A lot on my mind, indeed.

* * *

"Thank you for such a good time," Kyou said as we passed through the gate to the twins' home.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Jeff replied as he held the gate open for Ryou and I. "I'm sorry that most of our time was spent listening to me talk about theology."

"It's okay," she said as she waited for him to close the gate before pressing herself against his chest. "I like hearing about that; it's what makes you 'Jeff', right?"

"True," he admitted. "Thanks."

"In fact…" She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. "God, thank you for bringing Jeff here and giving him to me."

I exchanged a stunned look with Ryou. Had Kyou really done what it looked like she'd done? I watched in stunned silence as he returned her embrace and thanked God for bring Kyou into his life.

"M-Maybe we should give them some privacy," Ryou suggested, echoing my own thoughts. And as we headed inside, I had a feeling that those two wouldn't be dating for long.


	45. Murmurings of the Future

**Chapter Forty-Five: Murmurings of the Future**

"Congratulations!"

The four of us covered our heads under the shower of flowers and confetti as we passed through the doors of the sanctuary to the happy shouts of wedding guests.

"I'm exhausted!" Kyou exclaimed as we headed down the hall to the reception room.

"Me too," Ryou sighed.

"How many weddings have you done?" I asked Pastor Jeff. "Is it always this crazy?"

"Not always," he replied. "I guess my flock has been hoping that I'd marry, so they're a little more excited than usual."

"'Excited' is hardly the word," Kyou quipped. "But I'm happy they were happy for us."

"Me too," Ryou repeated as I opened the reception room door for them. Thankfully, Pastor Hamilton was holding the guests back until we could get settled in.

We headed over to the table reserved for the bride and groom – or brides and grooms in our case – and settled into the seats reserved for us.

"I am so glad to be able to sit down after all that!" Kyou said. "Those heels were killing my feet."

"Same here," Ryou said as she rubbed at her calves. "Tomoya, would you be willing to massage my legs later?"

"S-Sure," I stammered.

"Wow, Ryou, you beat me to it!" Kyou gushed. "You're getting bolder every day, aren't you?"

Actually, my new wife had become a lot bolder since Jeff had apparently cast that spirit out of her; she had become more flirtatious as well as confident in general. Because she had also stopped being so self-conscious, her cooking skills shot through the roof.

I put these thoughts to the side as our guests started to come in. Of course, before they could sit down they had to come up and congratulate us again, though by this point I didn't mind; I actually liked it. I had changed as well, from a jaded teenager to a more optimistic young adult; graduation and becoming an associate pastor at Glory to God likely had something to do with it.

With my arm around my wife we accepted well wishes from family after family; it felt really good to have so many people wanting the best for us.

Finally things settled down enough, and we started to eat. Or, at least, Ryou and I did; Kyou had managed to get into her husband's lap and tried to feed him from there. It took a minor scolding from her mother about wedding etiquette to get her back into her own seat. "You'll have plenty of time to sit in his lap later," she had said.

As everyone ate, I took the opportunity to look around the room at our guests. Most of them I didn't know since I was still getting used to my routine, but I raised my glass to my dad, who sat with Mom and Dad Fujibayashi. He gave me a smile and a nod along with a raising of his own glass. We had been getting along a lot better as of late, likely due to my change in focus to my career. Personal differences seem to stop mattering so much when higher priorities manifest. I also got to see pastors Ashton and Hamilton chatting away, looking quite pleased. Perhaps they had reconciled their differences; that might have explained Pastor Hamilton's willingness to perform our double-wedding.

After the meal was, of course, the cake cutting, and Ryou and I stood on the opposite side of the cake from the Ashtons, each couple with a knife. Kyou seemed to enjoy pressing herself into her husband as we lowered our cake cutters in to the huge confection. The cake was served, and I laughed as Kyou settled into Jeff's lap again to feed him his cake, all the while ignoring her mother's protestations. Or rather, I laughed until Ryou plopped herself down in my lap, drawing her mother's shocked attention. At least our other guests seemed to enjoy the spectacle; maybe they just enjoyed seeing their pastor red-faced.

* * *

Our quartet of newlyweds headed out the front door of the church and one of the church's ushers, probably in his early fifties, smiled as he held the door open to the limousine, and Jeff and I helped our brides into the waiting vehicle. My mentor got in next, and I brought up the rear to see him looking around in wonder. "I've never been in a limousine before," he said in a voice filled with awe, and I finally realized that one of the things that drew me to the man was the way he saw everything with childlike wonder.

"Me neither," I said as I examined the interior as well. "This is pretty impressive." I looked over at my wife. "Ryou, does your dad usually go around in limos or something?"

Both of the twins shook their heads. "I don't think Dad's ever been in a limo, no," Ryou replied.

Jeff and I looked at each other. "I guess we should be thankful for Dad's generosity," he said as the car started to move.

"And for…God's provision, right?" I said with a smile.

"Yeah," he said, returning my smile. "I've been wanting to talk to you about that actually…" he trailed off as his gaze wandered to his bride. "…but that can wait until later," he finished as Ashton Kyou smiled at him from the seat opposite him.

"I'd like to have you to myself for at least a little of our honeymoon," she said with a playful expression.

"Sorry," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Being a pastor means that personal and professional lives get mixed up a little." He leaned forward to take one of her hands in both of his. "I'm all yours for the next week, though."

I smiled as she looked at him fondly. "And after that?"

"Well… we'll have to figure out our own work-life balance, make sure we have enough time for each other." He kissed her knuckles. "I'll do my best, sweetheart."

I suddenly felt awkward as the glow lit up in her eyes, so I retreated from that discussion to look to my own wife, only to find her eyes with the same glow. "R-Ryou…?"

"Did you sleep well last night?" she asked.

I blinked; what a strange question. "Um, okay I guess…considering it was the night before our wedding. Why?"

"Because…" She leaned forward and gave me a kiss that nearly set my hair on fire. "…you won't be getting much sleep tonight," she finished in a husky voice.

"R-Ryou!" I heard Kyou exclaim, and we looked over to find the Ashtons with shocked expressions.

"S-Sorry about that," I said. "I didn't know she'd-"

"I thought we agreed to wait until we got to the onsen!" Kyou complained. "Are you trying to get ahead now?"

I exchanged a surprised look with Jeff as I sat up again.

"Well, how long did you expect me to wait?" Ryou countered. "I've had to keep myself under control while helping you; it just got to be too much!"

Jeff and I looked at each other, and I think we both realized that this was going to be a long trip.

* * *

"Aaaahhhh…" Jeff grunted as he settled into the heated water. "I've been in Japan for over five years now, but this is my first time in an onsen."

"Feel like you've been missing out?" I asked as I looked back toward the entrance. The girls had told us to go on ahead to the spring since they'd take longer to get ready.

"Yeah," he sighed as he sunk in the water to his chin. "I've read up on onsen etiquette, but stop me if you catch me doing anything I shouldn't, okay?"

"Sure thing, boss," I chuckled lightly.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." We looked to see the twins approaching the pool, wrapped in towels. For a brief moment I was afraid that they'd have nothing on under the towel, but my concerns were quickly dispelled as they dropped their towels, revealing color-matched one-piece swimsuits, Ryou's in blue and Kyou's in purple. I mentally kicked myself; they were both the wives of pastors – well, one pastor and one in-training – as well as Christians, so of course neither of them would expose themselves to anyone other than their husbands. In this, I felt privileged.

They carefully entered the water and, of course, immediately settled themselves into our laps, Jeff having to quickly adjust his seating to accommodate his wife. "Aaaaahhhh, this is nice," Kyou said, stretching her arms over her head before wrapping them around her husband's neck to give him a kiss on the cheek. "You're comfy; I think I'll keep you."

"Thanks," he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a peck on the cheek in return.

I chuckled at their antics as I turned my attention to my own wife, nestled within my embrace. "How about you, Ryou? Are you comfortable?"

"Oh, yes," she murmured as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I could easily fall asleep here." She reached up and cupped my cheek in her hand. "Of course I won't go to sleep; if I did, I would be able to do this," she said tilting her head back and drawing our faces together…

"Ryou!" Kyou's scolding voice interrupted. "Not now!"

Ryou giggled before giving me a peck on the lips anyway; it was kind of funny how their personalities had almost switched, though I understood that it was due more to Ryou getting used to her freedom than anything.

"So how do you like your job?" Jeff asked.

I mulled his question over. "I like it…it's just taking some getting used to," I replied. "I like visiting people's homes and taking care of them and praying for them, it's just…I never thought I'd be doing anything like this."

"You seem a lot happier than you used to," Ryou murmured into my neck before placing a kiss there, earning herself another shocked gasp form her sister.

"I am," I said as I tried to ignore the new tingling sensation. "I think I was put here to help others, to serve. Are you okay with being the wife of an associate pastor?"

"Very okay, as long as it's you," she sighed happily.

"You two look so good together," Jeff said with a smile in his voice. "Honestly, when I first met you in that park, Tomoya, I had no idea that any of this would happen."

"God has interesting ways of bringing people together," Kyou murmured sleepily as she snuggled up to her man.

Indeed He did; meeting Pastor Jeff and getting help from him, Kyou falling head-over-heels for him at their first meeting, my fluctuating relationship with Ryou that finally stabilized…God must have been pretty busy with just the four of us. I could only imagine what it would be like to take care of an entire planet of people.

* * *

I stood out on the patio to our room, staring up at the night sky. It was so clear, so beautiful, and I smiled to myself as I tried to imagine an all-powerful being speaking all of it into existence.

My attention was drawn to one star in particular as it fell from the night sky, toward…me? It wasn't a star but glowed like one, softly falling like a snowflake. I reached out to catch it, but instead of landing on my hand and melting like part of me expected it to, it…disappeared…into my hand, and a warmth spread though my whole body.


	46. I Live to Serve

**Epilogue – I Live to Serve**

"Okazaki-sensei?"

"Yes?" I said as I looked up from my studies to the pretty young nurse who stood anxiously before me. "Hello, Reina. What can I do for you?"

"There's a young man in Room 292 who seems…well, depressed."

I bookmarked my Bible, tucked it under my arm and collected my jacket before following her to the room in question. "How's your day been so far?"

"Busy," she complained. "I like taking care of the patients, but it can be pretty tiring sometimes."

"I'll bet," I said sympathetically. "I know that I used to think the nurses had it pretty easy until I met Ryou. Now I think that, in some ways, you have it harder than the doctors."

"Thank you," she said with a light blush. "I appreciate you saying that."

"So are you getting used to the place?" I asked. "This is your first time working as a nurse, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," she replied. "Getting used to the routines was…difficult, but I think I'm getting the hang of it." I could feel her studying me and I knew what her next question would be. "So…if you don't mind me asking; how long have you been a hospital chaplain?"

I still had to search my memory to be sure. Ryou and I had married about two years after graduating; I didn't want to be a burden on her while I figured myself out, so she waited patiently until, like C.S. Lewis, the Lord dragged me kicking and screaming into the faith. Unfortunately, Kyou wanted a double-wedding, so she and Jeff ended up waiting those two years until I was ready to become an associate pastor at his church. It took only a few weeks for us to realize that I wasn't a good fit for a pastor, but Pastor Jeff suggested that I try being a hospital chaplain. The hospital that Ryou worked at was willing to give me a chance, so we agreed on a trial period and, after three months, the hospital brought me on full time. "About…three years now? Sounds about right."

"Three years, huh?" She appeared to be lost in thought. "Hey, have you heard about the big accident that happened about five years ago? I guess the emergency room was really full."

I smiled at the familiar story.

"The priest who was supposed to show up was sick, so some high-school kid showed up and somehow took care of everybody; I guess he wasn't even very religious at the time, if I understood the story correctly."

"I would say that I was in the very early part of my journey to Christ, though I didn't realize it at the time," I said. "I had been around Pastor Jeff for a while, and his teachings were starting to grow on me."

Dead silence for several seconds, then: "Wait…are you saying you're the high-schooler from the story?"

I stopped and enjoyed the look of shock on her face as she turned. "Chaplain Okazaki Tomoya; I live to serve," I said with a bow.

Shock turned to a smile as realization washed across her face. "Oh, wow! So…So that was you!"

I nodded humbly as I gestured down the hallway to Room 292.

She turned into a maelstrom of questions, like 'Are the stories true?' and 'Were you scared?' and I answered them to the best of my ability.

"When I look back," I concluded, "I see all the ways that God was working in my life, though I will freely admit that I would likely have called you names had you tried to point it out to me then. Ah, here's 292," I announced as we arrived. "This is the place, yes?"

"Yes, sir," she said fidgeting. "Before you go, could I say one more thing? I know we'll probably see each other later, but…"

"Go right ahead," I replied.

I was surprised to see tears suddenly appear in her eyes as she spoke. "For five years, I have wanted to thank that boy who prayed for my little sister as she lay dying in the emergency center." She took a hesitant step toward me. "Just so I'm sure; are you that boy who prayed for Nakamura Keiko before she died?"

It was my turn to have a shocked expression as my gaze flicked to her nameplate: 'Nakamura'. "You…You're related to her?" I asked incredulously as tears pricked my eyes at the memory.

"Oh, I've found you!" she gushed as she threw her arms around me. "I've found you! Thank you so much for what you did for my family! Grandpa wouldn't stop talking about you for weeks after what you did!"

I smiled, letting a few of my own tears spill as I let her cry as long as she wanted; it was true that I had a patient waiting inside for me, but I needed to take care of the one in front of me first.

* * *

I knocked on the door to 292, and Ryou quietly came out to meet me. "Hey, gorgeous," she greeted as she stopped before me.

"Hey, sexy," I replied. "How's your day been?"

"Lonely," she said as she gave me a meaningful look.

"I'll try to help you with that later," I promised. "In the meantime, how's your patient doing?" I asked as I gestured to the door behind her.

"Not good," she said sadly. "He was a patient here a few years ago; he had osteosarcoma and tried chemotherapy to get rid of it. It seemed to work, but a few weeks ago he returned for testing and found out that it had returned."

"Ouch," I said sympathetically. "Well, I'd better get to work, then."

"Don't you want to know anything about him personally?" she asked.

"Of course I do," I said, giving her a wink as I took hold of the door handle. "That's why I'm going to ask him a bunch of questions."

I entered the room with Ryou behind me, and I could feel the air of depression. Moving around the curtain revealed a youngish-looking man with bright blond hair and, for a moment, I almost thought it was Sunohara. "Good afternoon, sir," I greeted in a deliberately gentle tone; if he was depressed, the last thing he needed was some yahoo shouting in his presence. "I'm Chaplain Okazaki Tomoya; nice to meet you."

"Hiiragi Kappei," he replied as he glanced over at my wife. "Nice to meet you, too."

I moved to the side of his bed as he sat up. "So…what're you in for?" I asked.

He chuckled lightly in spite of his otherwise morose demeanor. "Cancer's trying to finish what it started."

"What kind, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Osteosarcoma; bone cancer," he replied bitterly. "I thought the doctors had gotten rid of it years ago, but…"

"I've heard that that kind of thing can be pretty persistent," I said. "I'm sorry you're having to deal with it again."

"It's all right; it's not your fault." He looked up at me. "So you're a chaplain, huh? What does that mean?"

"A chaplain is a clergyman who's attached to a particular group or organization," I explained. "In my case, I'm a hospital chaplain."

"So, you're here to try to convert me to some religion?" he said suspiciously.

"Not unless you ask me to," I replied. "I'm just here to take care of your spiritual needs, whatever they may be, to the best of my ability."

He sighed heavily. "I guess I could use one right about now. The last time I was here I almost told them to let me die, but this pretty nurse here," he said gesturing to Ryou, "convinced me to try chemo."

"I'm so sorry it didn't work out," Ryou said sadly.

"I'm not trying to blame you, Nurse Okazaki," he said quickly, then blinked as he apparently realized the connection. "It looked like it was working fine, but I guess about a year ago it started to come back." He shrugged with an awkward smile. "I guess it just didn't work the way we all hoped."

"That's unfortunate," I said sympathetically. "Have the doctors given you any other options?"

"They did give me one," he said. "Some kind of cold treatment?"

"I don't understand the whole process," Ryou said, drawing my attention, "but it uses liquid nitrogen in some way; I assume that it's used to freeze the cancer cells."

I looked back to Hiiragi. "What do you think? Worth a try?"

"I don't know anymore," he said. "Maybe I should have just had them let me die last time."

Alarms sounded all through my conscience, but I muffled them with towels. "Why would you want to die?"

He seemed to have trouble answering, so Ryou took over. "Hiiragi Kappei was a well-known runner for Japan until it was discovered that he had bone cancer. The doctors have suggested that amputation of the legs would stop it, but-"

"No way!" Hiiragi exclaimed. "I'd rather die whole than life without running!"

My brow furrowed. "You'd rather die? Did I hear you correctly?"

"Running is my life!" he said, waving his hands around. "If I can't run, then I have no life!"

"Wait, please," I said. "Am I to understand that you have no value outside of your ability to run?"

"Huh?" He looked genuinely puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You just said that if you can't run, then you have no life. That tells me that you base your value on your ability to run. Am I wrong?"

He thought about this for a minute. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Well…why not? I've spent my whole life training to be the best runner and man ever! If I can't run, what good am I?"

"Hiiragi-san," Ryou said, nearly in tears.

This was starting to get really bad. I knew that he had value beyond what he himself believed, but how could I communicate that to him? "Hiiragi-san; do you have any family?"

"Sure," he replied. "Of course I do."

"Have they visited you?"

"Of course," he replied. "Many times."

"Why?"

He seemed puzzled by my question, which wasn't a bad thing. "Well, they're my family."

"Meaning?"

"They love me."

"Even though you can't run?"

He opened his mouth, then froze; good, he was thinking. All I had to do was wait…

I saw Ryou start to say something, but I held up my hand to stop her.

"I just…"

A simple angling of my head to let him know I was listening.

"I miss running," he said as he started to tremble.

"I can see that," I said softly. "You've been given this wonderful gift, the gift of speed, and now it looks like it's being taken away. It's so unfair."

"It is!" he exclaimed, tears starting to form. "I've worked so hard, and it's being taken away again!"

"So part of you wants to give up, to stop fighting; is that right?"

"Yeah!" he replied, wiping his eyes. "Damn, this is so unmanly."

"I won't tell anyone if you won't," I said sympathetically.

"Thanks," he said with a chuckle. "My lips are sealed."

"I'd like to suggest something," I offered. Once I had his attention I continued. "Your family loves you even though you can't run, right? Then they must see something in you that you don't, and I'd like you to consider what that 'something' is. I have some ideas of my own," I said with a sly smile, "but you haven't asked me to try converting you."

He laughed, probably for the first time in a long time. "Yeah, you're right," he said before turning serious. "Hey, uh…can you come back tomorrow? I have some thinking to do, and I'd like to talk to you about whatever I come up with."

"I can do that," I replied. "In fact, I'd be happy to."

* * *

As we left Hiiragi's room, my wife turned to me. "That was amazing, Tomoya. How did you do that?"

I shrugged. "I just gave him something to think about. My hope is that he will see that his value is not in his ability to run, but in Someone else. Failing that, at least he'll think about his value in terms of his family, which may open up other avenues."

She stopped me with a touch and, when I turned to face her, gave me one of her trademark mind-blowing kisses. "I love you so much, Tomoya."

As I headed back to my office, I thought about Hiiragi Kappei. I thought about the Lord, smiling at him as He does everyone, including those who don't smile back. I may not have been given the gift of preaching, but it felt good knowing that the compassion that God had instilled in me and brought out with the help of my wife could be used to serve His kingdom by serving others.

 _Rough Draft Complete_


End file.
